WON: Practice
by Athshe
Summary: Nothing but practice. Expressions, scenes and actions here might be used in my main stories; reads complete but more will be added.
1. Sonic's Special Zone

Sonic was walking down the long tunnel, in his hand was a basket filled with dirty gloves and socks that was ready to go into the wash. This place reminded him of his home before he became the true blue hedgehog everyone knew and loved, he spent his life's saving just to buy it.

The place was a Special Zone, meaning that no one else in the whole zone was there because this whole space before to him. The Zone was as big as his moon and the first thing he did when moving in was to buy a mountain load of earth and build for himself the den which reminded him of his childhood.

But other than the mountain of earth which contained his den, there was only whiteness all around. Which Sonic had to slowly fill with whatever he wanted; of course, he had no money left after the big spend, so now he was working part time.

Coming to his laundry room he walks right for the washing machine, it was already open from the first lot of basket full moments ago; the reason he was going so slow was because he was getting used to his home, the earth was being held up inside a metal giant box and he was still unsure of it.

'Wait until I'm a bit more comfortable before racing around,' Sonic thinks as he pours in the powder inside the machine, 'I know that the walls will hold, the mouse that sold it to me claims that not even Robotnik's robots or badniks for take them down..'

Sonic closes the round door and clicks the washing machine on, he wanders out the room and into the tunnel like hallway; taking a deep breathe inwards, he could almost hear his mother, father, and his nine brothers, ten sisters, five nephew and nine niece, two grandmothers and two grandfathers, as well as his forty four uncle, twenty-two aunts and one thousand two hundred and thirty two cousins; and that was not counting his second cousins, great uncles and aunts, nor some grandparents from some of the mates that jointed their family.

Sonic sighs, he remembers them but these were only a memory; they all died in Robotnik's first strike when he was just seven and when he had no power.

'I should have died with them...' Sonic thinks a little lonely, he was a rare thing, cause normally he was always with others or running, 'Only when I slow down do I think about them, and I have not thought deeply about them in years... hedgehog of my world live in large family groups, they marry at sixteen and spent the rest of their lives breeding, males work and females raise the children.'

Sonic blinks, he was outside his den. Gazing upwards he stares at the Zone's sky. It was white, no blue, no darkness, nor any form of colour. The main reason for wanting to live in this place was because of the many fans he had gotten over the past few years, Amy Rose being the worst.

He had been planning to build a den, it was just a normal one on the planet. When he heard about Special Zone was being made he jumped at the chance, Special Zone only were made every ten or so years.


	2. 10,000 Promises 1

The early sun's rays spilled through the open window, the summer morning was already proving itself to be nice and warm for the day ahead; for the sleeper in bed, he smiles as he turns forwards the warmth, his ears twitched, as his bird neighbours began to sing their song.

The blue hedgehog opened his eyelids, rich green eyes lazily gazes towards the ceiling above. Breaking in a deep inwards breathe, he could pick up the scent of breakfast was in the air.

Sonic De Hedgehog rolls slightly and swung his legs round placing his feet on the floor he sat up, yawning loudly. The world's hero blinks and glances down at the floor, his fresh socks and shoes he laid out the night before was there; bending down he starts slicing the socks over his feet, one at a time. Then he straightens up and wiggles his feet into the running shoes together, before bending down once more to tighten them firmly in place.

Standing he walks over to his desk where a new pair of gloves were, he quickly places over his hands, then balls them into fists a couple of times getting the feel on them.

Now that he was no longer naked he grins and spins around on his heels and made his way across the room, heading for the door. He ducks down and grabs a wet towel off the floor and drag it along behind him. Last night just before bed, Sonic had a shower. He had threw his socks and gloves into the washing basket but failed to do the same with the towel for a simply reason, he could not be bother to walk two yards.

Sonic walks down the hallway in his underground den, tosses the towel into washing basket as he passed the bathroom. He knew that Amy would come around and clear up for him later... he still did not understand why she has a set of keys to his home, he no longer questioned it any more.

'Everyone thinks we're mates anyway...' Sonic thinks a little gloomy, he was twenty one years old and without a mate something that was rare in the hedgehog race, since most hedgehogs find their Life Mate young in their lives.

Sonic walks into his living which contacted to his dining room as well, the smell of breakfast became stronger so he knew where the source was.

"Sonic!" Amy's overly sweet voice filled the room as she notices he walking into the dining room, a large happy smile crossed her muzzle and her dull green eyes lit up, "Good morning!"

"Morning." Sonic greets in a slothful manner, he flops down into his normal seat at the table and glanced at the empty chair. The chair where Tails used to sit at. Sonic's heart squeezed, his brotherly companion was no longer with him.

"Missing Tails?" Amy asks placing his breakfast in front of him.

"Yeah, Tails has been with me for a long time," Sonic comments taking his eyes away from the chair and glancing down at his meal, "I can't even remember the last time I truly lived on my own. I mean, even when I was away from home or Tails went off to one of his field trips for research or something, I had someone or something with me..."

"I bet he is happy with his new mate," Amy says, she walks behind Sonic's chair and leaning over she sat a hot mug of tea beside his plate.

The pink hedgehog took a seat and dug in to her own breakfast, Sonic raised his eyebrows in amusement. Before he would demand she get out... but leave the food behind. He had grown used to having her around, however he felt no love towards her in the same way she would want. It was more of friendship or even kinship.

'But... with those wide hips,' Sonic thinks lowering his eyes downwards, 'I bet she could carry healthy hoglets.' lifting his eyes back up he sees Amy's face red as she continued to chew on her food.

Suddenly he realizing what he had just done and began to bloom red as well; the pair ate in silence.

Amy started cleaning up the plates, while Sonic began heading towards the back door, planning to good onto his morning run.

"Thank you Amy, that was a good meal." Sonic says with turning around to face her, "See you later!"

Sonic zoomed out the door, slamming it hard behind him. He hit sonic speed when he reached a open field causing a sound wave to boom across the zone. The speeding hedgehog smiled, Amy was not his number one choice for a mate but despite being the planet's hero, there was not a line of waiting mates at his door.

Sonic came to a halt at the top of the mountains that could be seen at a distance from his own den, he stares at his beautiful zone just enjoying and taking in the sight.

Thunder roar somewhere and he smiles, the dark clouds were forming fast over a town, he could made out the heavy rain that poured down. Lightning flashes throughout, making a wonderful display.

"Nature at it's best!" Sonic says with a bold grin, he stares at the beauty of the summer's storm. Sonic loved all sides of his world, even the water which he feared the most he loved... as long as he was not in it.

"Mmmm?" Sonic hums with a frown, there was another storm brewing off to the south, "That don't look right."

Sonic leaps forward swiftly, allowing himself just to fall from the edge; he grins against the wind shaking his quills, yet it was not the same as when he ran. Brining out a chaos emerald he always carried he closed his eyes and focused on a set location.

As he opened them he sees a glaring red echidna. Knuckles the Master Emerald guardian did not look happy with Sonic coming unannounced

"Yo! What's up?" Sonic greets with a grin and a slight lift of his hand; dropping that hand he grins for another reason, as a white cloud drafted passed them,"Besides us of course."

Knuckles glares some more, but he knew why the hedgehog was here; turning he faced the darkening skies the was surrounding the floating island of the sky known as Angle Island, a strange light shone brightly in the middle of it. Something was coming their way, something powerful.


	3. 10,000 Promises 2

Sonic was breathing hard, his side burned like fire. He placed the pain to the back of his mind, however the wound slowed him down; the hedgehog dared not look, he didn't want to know the damage until it was over, until the new enemy was gone.

Kneeing behind a tree he takes in his surrounds. Sonic was in some kind of forest area on the floating island, a place where he never been before since he only allowed in places Knuckles said he could.

He had lost sight of Knuckles in the confusion.

Sonic's ears draw sideways, he could hear the sound of his plane. A slow smile spread over his lips, backup was on its way; standing he glances around at the green area, wondering if he should make him self known or stay down for a minute more.

Sonic could not wait, it just was not in him.

Speeding out he rushes to the familiar welcoming noise, it was hovering somewhere above the clouds. Sonic run following where the humming of the engine went. Glancing upwards he sees a flesh of red, the Tornado was coming down for a landing.

The blue hedgehog's green eyes widen, he stops himself from going any further.

The Tornado was tore to ribbons, a giant monster like creature was holding it up like a child would would a toy plane. Blood was pouring out of the pilot's seat, a blood covered tail hung down.

'Tails!' Sonic's mind screams at him, he wanted to run over but his body had frozen him in place. Movement caught his eyes, slowly turning he stares; in the other hand of the monster he sees the bloody and beaten body of his adopted brother with only a single tail.

Red filled his vision. Roaring in rage Sonic lashes out, sending waves of yellow chaos power.

The waves stuck against the side of the beast, however it appeared to laugh at the attack. Growling darkly Sonic pours power into his right right, the white hot light buzzed and crackled as it forms into a ball. Releasing the energy with a war cry, the attack hit the monster's eye.

The monster simply blinked. This action however gave Sonic enough to to appear by it's hand and remove Tails from it's grasp, before disappearing once again.

Sonic fell in front of the Master Emerald, Tails's body dropped to the ground coldly. The sound of feet was heard and Sonic spun around to fight whoever dared came closer to him and his brother.

Knuckles stared down, disbelief shone in his purple eyes as he moves ever nearer.

Miles 'Tails' Prower was dead. Blue lifeless eyes stare at nothingness, his fur was caked with drying blood and dirt. The young fox's mouth was partly opened, blood dried and fresh was at the corners. Also not only was he missing his tail, but a leg as well.

Sonic did not let his rage take over again, instead he harden his heart against the image.

"Sonic!" Amy's voice screams from outside the chambers, making both males turn. Neither could see where her voice came from.

Leaving the dead fox behind they went towards the voice of the living, treading carefully.

"Sonic!" Amy scream came again, making the pair move faster. The darkest filling the skies was getting darker, if it was possible making harder and harder to see as seconds passed.

"Why is Amy here?" Sonic suddenly hisses out as he stops moving, Knuckles also pauses a little way ahead of him. It was now Sonic saw now injured his friend was, it also had a wound on his side in almost the same spot, meaning the same thing that attacked Sonic had gotten him also.

"Didn't she come with you?" Knuckles asks roughly, wanting to find the girl.

"No." Sonic answers, the feeling of dread bubbled in his gut.

"Sonic!" Amy's scream continued, filled with panic and fear however it was the same tone as the first two, far too much the same.

"Sonic..." Knuckles growls out as he backs away from the opening, something was moving in the darkness. The movement was odd, it was clearly a creature about their size and shape but it was jerking from side to side.

Sonic placing a hand over his wound, backing away from the thing coming toward them. His mouth drops and his eyes widen. Knuckles gasps at the sight, nothing could have prepared him for the was happening.

Amy Rose was there. She had a big claw like hand wrapped around her waist, it was jerking her from side to side, heading her free parts fly around roughly.

It was a sickening sight.

Sonic felt vomit raise at the back of his throat, he shook at the look of Amy's glassy dead eyes. Once again he tries to harden his heart to be able to fight, yet this time it was breaking faster. Two of his loved ones had been killed, if it had been one he could have blocked it out until the battle was over but two was too much for him.

"Sonic, we have to get out of here." Knuckles hisses out as he came to his side and leaned against him, Sonic gazes at his friend and noticed just now ill he was starting to look.

"The Master Emerald..." Sonic asks dully as he stares at the trail of blood running down the guardian's hip, leg and shoes. The rich blood was much deeper shade of red than the bright fur.

"Can it fill into your sub-space with the Seven?" Knuckles asks quickly, as the 'doll' Amy jerked towards forcing them backwards.

"You would let me?!" Sonic says in shock, never had the guardian allowed anyone to place it another's sub-space, it just did not happen. The Master Emerald adapted to that person's life's force and choose that person as it's resting place or it could damage and even kill the person in question.

"Do it." Knuckles hisses out again, it was then Sonic sees just how weak he sounded.

"Right." Sonic agrees with a firm nod, turning towards the Master Emerald slightly he raised his hand towards it. Before it could summon it to him, he sees a large claw like hand coming through the darkest and dragging the body of Tails towards it.

Gritting his teeth Sonic summons the Master Emerald to him, placing it along side the Seven Emerald that was already tucked inside his soul. As so as the Master Emerald vanished into Sonic's sub-space the whole ground went from under him, he was floating higher as Angle Island fell from the sky.


	4. 10,000 Promises 3

Sonic lands hard on the ancient grounds of the Master Emerald's chamber, dust and dirt covered and filled the air like a mist. Grasping for breathe Sonic tries to stand, he had fell on his front knocking the air from his lungs.

Recovering from the drop he glances around the chamber, it was now unrecognisable. The sand coloured stones or brickwork had fallen from the walls and ceiling, blocking same of the entrances. Trees and earth from above had come through on the far left of him. Where the Master Emerald once sat in the chamber, the altar above where it was kept during the day or when no one was around, had came crashing in.

Sonic numbly turns to his friend, the red echidna laying face down side to him. Kneeing down he placing a hand on Knuckles's shoulder and shook him a little.

"Come on," Sonic hisses in a low voice, "How long at you planning to sleep?"

There was no response, frowning deeply Sonic used his remaining strength to push his friend onto his back. Knuckles had his eyes closed, his face looked peaceful unlike Amy and Tails's expressions of terror and pain just before they died.

Sonic sighs at his friend, Knuckles must have known he was dying and entrusted the Master Emerald to him.

'No wonder it went in smoothly,' Sonic thinks as he rose wobbly to his feet, he start walking away, 'Knuckles may have given over guardianship before I came in...It thinks me as it's guardian now..'

Sonic squeezes his eyes against the overwhelming feeling forming within, no longer wanting to face the world.

'Tails, Amy and Knuckles...' Sonic thinks as he wanders towards what looked like the way out, there was the summer's sun shinning through, 'Had not just this morning, I been with Amy? Eating breakfast, talking about Tails with his new mate? And Knuckles, we were planning to visit a Zone together...Yesterday we were talking about it over the phone, yesterday we were laughing and joking... so what the in the name of Rings happened today?! Is this even real? Am I dreaming of a nightmare?'

Sonic slowly climbs over the stones and other pieces of rubble, the pain throughout his body told him this was reality, that this was happening and his friends had been killed by some kind of monster.

Sliding down a stone he came to two pathway, one way show sun light trying to get through the clouds, while the other way he could hear the sound of running water. Sonic turns away from the way of water, heading towards the light. However he stops, the light was suddenly covered with darkest causing him to leap backwards and hid behind a rock. Three long thin wobbly arms came into the opening, making him duck down further; these arms had large eyeballs attached to their palms.

Controlling his breathing Sonic flatten himself against the stone, waiting for the creature to pass. A sound pierces through the air, bouncing off the walls and echoing cross the chambers and halls.

The noise went and sudden as it came. Blinking Sonic rose himself upwards, the arms with their eyeball filled hands was gone. But the entrance it went in was blocked with a jelly looking substance that reflected the light.

With narrowed eyes Sonic studied the strange seal over his exit, then he turns to the sound of water and carefully climb over the stones leading to there. It was not a time to be afraid of the water, when needed he will walked on by and even go down into it.

Sonic quickly realized that he was going further down into the island, the underground side of it was like a maze and it was hard to work out how to get out.

'Chaos Control?' Sonic thinks dumbly, he cross that thought out, 'I'm far to weak to pull off something like that...'

Sonic blinks as he sees the source of the sound of running water, one of the walls below had collapsed and lake water from above was filling the lower chambers, narrow corridors and even the large hallways.

The water must be going further downwards because the chamber Sonic found himself in was not raising any higher than his middle. Shivering at the water surrounding his ankles already, it went down deeper into the watery chamber, and found it truly was coming up to his middle. There was water currents pulling from different sides of him, making it much harder to walk than if he was fully under.

Sonic blinks, every time he did so he saw his three friend's faces. Still he carried on, because he was a hero and there had to be someone who needed his help somewhere, he knew that his friends would want him to continue and not blame himself for their deaths; but that just what he was doing.

Many thoughts run through his mind running than he could run.

If only he didn't go for that run this morning, would he have known sooner that something bad was happening? could he have gotten to Tails in time? Would Amy have been still by his side? What about Knuckles, if he had keep in his own Zone and not came to the guardian would the monster come this way? Was the monster after the emeralds or him? Was this from Dr Robotnik?

'Not Robotnik,' Sonic tells him, glancing down at the water he notices that his blood was floating all around him like pink ink, 'I haven't seen one robot...'

Suddenly Sonic was under water sinking down, he threw his arms around wildly trying to grab onto anything. He managed to grip onto something flat and after the many bubbles faded he sees that he was hanging over a broken hole in the floor; water was pouring through it making a strong current causing his grip to weaken.

'I must have walked right into it...' Sonic thinks angrily at himself, 'How did I not feel this current?!'


	5. 10,000 Promises 4

The water continued pushing and pulling against him, in his weaken state he could not pull himself up to the safely of the floor he was just on; his lungs and throat had began to burn as the need to open his mouth grew more and more urgent.

Losing his hold Sonic was sent spinning through the dark waters, hitting the sides of the walls or rubble that was in the way. Dizziness caused his vision to have black spots forming there, he quickly felt unconscious creeping up on him.

Then he was sailing through the air, grasping loudly for breathe. Blinking he saw the hole he fallen through in the side of the island. Spinning in the air Sonic keeping glances around, taking in his surrounding area. Below him water was filling into the crater that the floating island made in the land.

It was a enormous drop. Thinking fast Sonic brings out his arms and legs, letting himself glide out of the way of the water. Normally he would like this feeling, but being wet, cold and injured as well as mentally damaged took the joy out of it.

Instead of aiming straight for the land Sonic heads towards higher area, trees to bounce off of. But he notices the dark mist covering the land like a thick blanket, there was only few spots were the darkness did not reach.

Nearing the tall trees Sonic brings his legs in front of himself, readying to push against it. The force of the drop made him weighty, he slammed his feet against the large leg with such force that it bent; pushing off he rocketed himself towards another tree and continued this until he lands on the woodlands's ground.

Then he let himself fall forward, completely drained emotionally and physically.

A loud gasp was heard and he jumps to his feet. Which was a mistake because a wave of dizziness washing over him, making him want to throw up.

"Sonic The Hedgehog!" A female's voice cries out; turning Sonic sees a white deer also with two smaller deer hiding behind her legs, "What...?! Quick boy, get your father!"

One of the child deer turn and rushes off, as the mother deer comes forward and grabs the young man around his shoulders keeping him steady.

The hero of the planet turns his eyes away from her ashamed of himself. He had failed them, something was happening to his zone and he was weak and helpless. Sonic blinks towards the ground, he could hear voices of many kinds heading their way.

Then came a cry, some gasps and others sobbed at the sight of him.

Suddenly Sonic found himself he picked up, lifting his head up he stares at a wolf man. Cold icy blue eyes never look his eyes, kept looking forward.

'I don't want to be carried.' Sonic thinks bitterly but he had no choice, his beloved legs were no longer listening to him. There was a change of arms, Sonic was being lifted up into a wooden traveller's cart. Soon three different kinds hand's was all over him, a blue bird, a white and cream rabbit and a pale green lizard.

Sonic hisses in pain as they start cleaning his wounds, tears form into his eyes. He did not bother to wipe those tears away, letting them freely spill from his closed lids and down the side of his cheeks. In truth Sonic wanted to scream, cry out and shout. Anything to released him from this overwhelming feelings that was inside of him.

"Sonic," A gently voice calls to him, something stick deeply into his arm "Sleep now, let us protect you for once."

Sonic took the offer and fell into a odd sleep.

0000000000000000000000000000

Sonic reaching up to his hood and pulls it lower, the monsters that came out only during the day was no where to be seen. Glancing around he frowns, he and the others also noticed that those creatures did not come when it was raining.

Slowly looking up towards the skies, he stares at the grey clouds that brought with them the heavy rain. The sound against their hiding places pitter pattered loudly, giving them away; still when it rained, it mattered not.

Hearing voices Sonic took a step back into the shadows, he waits for a moment. Then two different kinds hurry passed him, a grey rat and a brown pony. The two had let their guard down with the rain.

Sonic however, did not. The people in the zone had looked for someone to blame for letting the monsters overrule them, and it fell upon Sonic for not doing his job. A large number of kinds has taken to harming him on sight, as well as his remaining followers.

Sonic was completely healed now and wanted to fight against the enemy; what he discovered was shocking. It was not only happening in his zone, but every single zone on the planet. The sheer number of monsters had given him and everyone else by surprise as well as how sudden it had been, no warming or nothing.

Hurrying out of his spot he went towards a door that was barely visible. Knocking lightly on the wood, he hears a squeak from within. There was a bit of noise coming from behind the closed door, before someone came and opened it.

Sonic did not greet the shaking female, instead he pushes his way passed and heads down the few steps. Heads turned his way as he walks into the den, he nods their way as he grand hold of his cloak and unclipped from his neck.

Sonic's normal blue fur was dried brown for safely reasons, the blue was too eye catching from afar it was a dead give away.

"Sonic." Robert the wolf greets as he watches the hedgehog take a seat, "We think we know how to get rid of them."

"Do tell." Sonic says dryly as he notices food on the table, his stomach rumbles loudly reminding him he had not eaten anything that day.

"These things are called soul eaters," Robert explains, "we found an ancient book that spoke about them, we may be able to reseal them."

"Why?" Sonic says shortly, he had been fighting these things for weeks now and they was not easy to fight. They caught others in traps, using friends or family as bait, they trick them into thinking they was gone when popped out of nowhere, playing with their victims until the point of death, even then they still played in the eyes of those left behind. They was large, small, thick, thin, wide and narrow; coming in great numbers or coming alone.

"The Master Emerald might be the only way." A voice says from behind, turning Sonic sees a light brown echidna holding her hands tightly in front of herself.

Sonic was not to happy with that idea, he display his displeasure with a deep frown towards the former princess of the echidna race; she was a spirit that dwell inside the Master Emerald but found herself thrown out of it when Sonic took ownership of it.

"However," Tikal went on to say, she gaze sadly at him, "There is a chance you will die from this..."


	6. 10,000 Promises 5

It fill his mood well, the weather did.

Green eyes glance towards the skies watching as the high winds blew them along. Sonic sighs loudly, hoping for the rain.

Dark storm clouds covered the skies, yet no rain fell which meant 'They' would be coming soon; it had been two years since 'They' first appeared, the third of the planet's population had been kill and what was worst, some of those who died came back alive or sort of. Living zombies.

These zombie like creatures had returned to their normal every day life and treated the normal kinds as if they had something wrong with them. The 'Normal' became the outcasts while the 'Living' became the norm.

Sonic had been in shock the first time he ran into Tails, his fur was sow together with thick knits. The dead fox did not know the hedgehog, instead claimed that his name was Bobby Joel. Whatever happened to Tails's body made his fur a rusty colour but he knew his brother anywhere.

The thing was, the 'Living' seemed to be healing. Their bodies growing more and more alive, however strike them down and they got up and chop them to pieces they put themselves back together.

It was a sickening sight.

Sonic turns slightly, looking behind him. A lot of different kinds had turned up for this event, all planning to help him the best they could; Sonic knew and they knew, that they was rushing to their deaths.

The different kinds wanted their homes back, wanted their lives back. The kinds knew that things was never going to be the same again, yet the hope was there and they clung onto this hope with both hands tightly unwilling to let go.

Someone below him gasps causing everyone in hearing distances to duck down, this caused a chain reaction across the whole camp that made up the kinds. Sonic's lips twitch, threatening to smile; it had been a long time since he was able to to that fully. Guilt from the lost of his friends that robbed him of his joy, feeling that they too should be there smiling with him.

From where Sonic stood, he could see the dark mist raising over the land. The laugher of 'They' echoed making those waiting the shiver. No one wanted to be there, no one wanted to face this. Still they fought for their lives and the lives of their remaining offspring.

Tikal appears next to Sonic, a grim look was upon her face. Sadness filled her eyes as she nods to him.

It was time.

Sonic jumps from the rock that overlooked the camp, darting downwards and landing on his knees, he sped forwards towards the mist. He ran towards the mist, frowning as 'They' failed to notice this right ahead. But soon those creepy eyes fixed on him, 'They' slowly moved towards him, grinning and laughing loudly.

Sonic kept his face free of emotion as he ran, 'They' still poured out of this dark place, it was getting wider; others came joining him on fast cars and other machines. The 'Normal' surrounded the 'They' trying to make them follow, and trying to stop the mist before it grew to other parts of the Zone. Everywhere different kinds came from, many different camps had been gathered at corners to where the mist that been pin pointed to.

The mist that bought 'They' starts every time in the Dis Hop Zone, spreading to other Zones throughout the day at a fast pace; 'They' formed in a single old castle like building, no one knew if any 'Living' or even 'Normal' was inside.

Sonic job was to go in and see where 'They' was coming from, and hopefully seal it.

Soon 'They' were going around and around, no longer following the super fast hedgehog but going after the much slower toys about the area. Sonic closed his ears off to those scream of the kinds that gotten caught, hardening his heart against their pain cries.

'Sorry..' Sonic thinks sadly as he zigzags between 'They', he sees the building. 'This is it!' With a sudden burst of speed the blue furred green eyed hedgehog went for the building.

Sonic circles the building three times, he spots a open window the second but speeded round the third just in case. Rushing through the open window he comes to be in a large room, there was no 'They' inside, which made him frown.

Gazing towards the only door, he walked over to it. Reaching the other side of the room he lay his side on the cold surface of the door, pushing his ear against it. Closing his eyes he carefully listened for anything that may be harmful; hearing nothing he draws back and opens it. Still careful, he glances both ways quickly.

A noise that sounded like the clicking of plates together was heard somewhere in the place, he darts down the hallway leaving only his after image behind. Stopping outside a door that seemed like a kitchen beyond he listens to the sounds coming from within.

By the sounds of it, someone was setting a table.

He sees that the door was ajar, leaning forward he blinks inside. A female bird was inside placing plate on the table, humming loudly as she went along. The smell of something cooking drafted in the air, making his stomach rumble.

The last time he eaten something of the sorts was 'The Day'. Pushing the door open he went inside, he stares at the bird who had not seen him, she was a 'Living', there was marking across her orange feathers had told that much.

"Who are you?" A small voice asks from behind, making both Sonic and the female bird to turn.

Sonic blinks down at a smaller bird, bright yellow feathers covered his body. However what caused Sonic's two of his three hearts skip a beat, the child was a 'Normal'.

"I'm Sonic, I just popped in for some breakfast." Sonic greets as he points to himself while posing.

"Sonic..." The boy asks, his deep blue eyes widening, "Sonic! The hero Sonic?!"

"That's me!" Sonic says cheerfully, not wanting to scare the child, "Hope you don't mind me keeping in, I didn't think anyone lived here."

"Yeah, we used to get travellers all the time saying the same thing," The child cries out excitement was clear in his voice, and in the way he was moving from side to side, "But we haven't had anyone come for the last two years, not since Mama had her accident."

Sonic turns and cast a glance toward the 'Living' staring at him with worry in her eyes, "Guessing that's Mama."

"Yeah! Mama makes the best pancakes in the whole world!" The bird cries out hopping slightly, "You want some?"

"I more into fruit," Sonic lies not wanting to eat anything made by a 'Living', "Do you have anything here like that?"

"I'm not sure..." The child says thinking about it, "Oh!" He lit up, "I forget give my name! I'm Avon!"

"Well hello Avon," Sonic says with a laugh, "I'm Sonic. Sonic De Hedgehog!"

"I know that!" Avon giggles then rushes over the table, jumping onto a seat he waved for Sonic to do the same, "Mama, do we have any fruit?"

"No, your father has not come home yet with the shopping." The 'Living' says, staring back and fore between the two, "Do you know this hedgehog?"

"Everyone knows Sonic!" Avon cries out in horror, "Sonic is our planet's hero! He saved our world twelve times over."

"You give me to much praise," Sonic says kindly to the child, "But I do try."

"Mama lost her memories two years ago," Avon quickly says with an expression that read 'sorry that she does not know you', "Not even me... broke me and Papa's heart! But Mama is Mama!"

"Okay..." Sonic agrees dully keeping his fake smile on his lips, "So your Papa is nice and healthy?"

"Yeah...I think..." Avon says unsure, "But I don't really see him, only his shadow through the room or as he leaves the house."

'He calls this a house...' Sonic thinks but shook his head, "Was your Papa in the same accident as Mama? Maybe he hurt himself badly and has not want you to worry."

Sonic watches as the boy's shoulder relaxes and a bright smile spread over his beck, he nods his head firmly at him. Then the 'Living' placed a plate of pancakes in front of the child, giving Sonic a almost thankful look.

Sonic frowns. He did not know what to make of all this.

'Something is in this place.' Sonic thinks as he glances towards the door, 'Watching me... the answers must lay somewhere in here.'


	7. 10,000 Promises 6

Sonic follows the little bird around the building, the child was excited having him there, showing every crack in the wall. The 'Living' walked slowly behind them, making no sound and creeping Sonic out to no end.

It made Sonic wonder if this child truly was a 'Normal' and there was some kind of wound on his body, however there was another thing that led him to believe that the little bird was 'Normal' because he knew who Sonic while his own brother did not.

"You okay? You need something to eat?" Avon asks blinking up at him, "Maybe Mama can make something else for you?"

"No, no. I'm fine, really." Sonic answers holding his hands up, "But I would like to see more of your home, I just love old building like this!"

The bird beamed and rushed at him, giving him a big hug. Letting go he grabs hold of Sonic's hand and began pulling him along.

"I want to show you my drawing door! I love drawing!" Avon says as he hurries along, "Papa let me have the room when I turned six, I been using it since then."

"Oh? How old are you now?" Sonic asks as he glances around everywhere he could see as he passed through the rooms and hallways.

"I am nine!" Avon replies proudly, "I going to be ten in about seven months."

"Now nine years old," Sonic says sounding impressed, "You're about the same age as my brother was when I first met him."

"Your brother?" Avon asks tilting his head as he stops and holding his other hand to a door handle.

"My brother, Tails." Sonic explains, "If you've heard of him, you must know Tails."

"Yeah! The two tailed fox..." Avon says but was thinking about something, "But you're a hedgehog and he is a fox."

"I adopted him," Sonic answers smiling sadly, "After that we was rarely seen with each other, it was only until a couple of years ago though, Tails found himself a nice mate and lived happily with her."

"Oh...Why do you sound of sad?" Avon asks as he caught the adults mood, "Are you unhappy he went ago with his mate?"

"...I didn't mind him leaving for his mate," Sonic answers with a sorrowful smile, "That's naturally. But...Tails and his mate died two years ago..."

"OH!" Avon cries out looking tearful now, "That's horrorible! I'm so sorry to hear that! I thought I was going to die when they told me Mama died. I know how it must feel... well not all the way...but..."

"It's fine." Sonic says gritting his teeth behind his lips, "No worries. So you were going to show me your drawing room?"

"Yes!" Avon says brighting greatly, glad for the chance to change the topic, "Come on, this way!"

Avon opens the door and rushed inside, Sonic followed a little slower with the 'Living' at his heels. The first thing he felt as he entered, was how cold it was. The second thing he felt was a chill run down his spine as he saw the whirling void of darkness on the ceiling. The ghostly figures of different kinds moan from within, as they saw him there and grew louder.

"So Avon..." Sonic asks as he steps further into the room, "May I ask you a question?"

"Sure!" Avon says, he had seated himself at a low table on his knees, paper was everywhere with drawing of monsters and people being eaten or played with.

"What is this above me?" Sonic asks as kindly as he could, the bird child simply blinks as if not understanding.

"My friends," Avon answers at last, seeing no point in lying to the hero, "My other friends bring them to me at night night. I play with them sometimes, but I quickly get bored."

Silence fell between the two.

Glancing upwards, Sonic notices a female bird that looked oddly like 'Mama' behind him. Turning his head back down, he watches as Avon draws wildly onto the paper, using many colours at a fast rate. The child stared unblinking as he drew, the comic like pictures formed below him.

Sonic slowly glances upwards once more, his breathe caught in his throat at the sight of Tails, Amy and Knuckles shouting at him, while slamming their fists against an invisible wall.

The blue hedgehog strolled forward and kneed down behind his new friend. 'Mama' wanders over to a chair that was in the room, studying Sonic.

"Wow! You're really good at drawing Avon!" Sonic says with a grin, "I fail at stick men." This caused Avon to blink, then turn to Sonic. Then he grins as well, this began a full blown laugh, "Hey now, not laugh at others." he says but was laughing softy himself.

"Here yet me show you now to draw!" Avon says still laughing a little, tears were at the corners of his eyes.

"Sure, show me how to draw a flower please." Sonic asks nicely, "I love flowers."

"What colours?" The child says with a nod as he reaching for the many ink bottle.

"Mmmmm... Blue!" Sonic says grinning boldly, earning a quick grin from the little bird. Sonic watched carefully as Avon began drawing, the fine quill he was using was the same colour as the mist that came, "So, where did you get that fancy looking quill, looks amazingly crafted!"

"Er..."Avon mumbles as he continues to draw, never taking his eyes off of the paper. "My Papa found it in a treasure box and gave it to me as a gift. I've been using everyday!"

"Will you let me see it," Sonic asks with interest, "When you're done with your drawing of course, I don't want to stop you now, you're on a roll buddy!"

This made Avon smile into his drawing, he continues moving his hand over the paper, wiping the ink off the end and dripping into another bottle before carrying on. Stopping he leans back giving the quill a final clean and stares down at his latest masterpiece. Then turning to Sonic he hands over the quill, the adult takes it and turns it carefully over in his hand. At the back of his mind he could feel the Master Emerald almost hisses at it, and he knew he found what he was going for.

The quill must have special powers, the grief of losing his mother had sent the child over the edge and somehow tapped into them, causing this odd event, no about the desire to bring dead things back made the zombie like creatures that inhabited the body after they meant, the things he named 'They' must be a reflection of the boy's childlike self wanting to play with new people.

Chaos power began to roll off of him, hint of green appears at his tips of his quills which quickly gave way to yellow as it moved along. Avon jumps to his feet staring in wonder at what was happening.

"Sonic?!" Avon cries over the wind that was forming in the room, sending the papers flying.

"I will end this nightmare." Super Sonic hisses through his red eyes, glaring at the bird boy, "There is no way you don't know what you have done to this world."

"I don't know what-" Avon begun but stopped when Super Sonic's eyes narrows at him, "I'm sorry... those in there," he points up, "Kept telling me... but I couldn't stop myself."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" The 'Living' screams over the wind looking enraged, it came towards him.

"Like I said," Super Sonic hisses out, "_Ending this all_!"

The Seven along with the Master appeared above him, they then spun around him until they began a blur. Avon slowly backed away, then setting his face firmly he rushes for Super Sonic, extending one arm out for the quill. Chaos power shoved the child to the floor.

The quill itself glowed, to Sonic it felt angry towards him. Suddenly he knew his three heart was slowing down, 'I'm dying.' he thinks as he loses his yellow fur, returning to blue, 'I'm dying' his second heart shut down, he was no longer blue but a dark brown, his green eyes was now a much darker brown, so dark that they seemed black.

Sonic's final heart came to a stop, but before his mind came to a halt he summoned the Master Emerald. This great powerful piece of rock shone bright, filling the whole room with white hot light.

A loudcrack was heard.

The Master Emerald was breaking, but so was the quill.

'This is it!' Sonic thinks as he gave up his own flesh for those souls trap inside that void, he sees them disappearing in true death, smiling thankfully towards him. There was so many of them he could no longer count.

The quill began ash and the Master Emerald shattered into ten thousand pieces, the Seven only broke into two because he was using them to protect those above and not using it on the quill like the Master.

Sonic died, not seeing what happened to the rest of the planet but knowing they was now free. That was all that mattered.


	8. 10,000 Promises 7

A large walking talking blue hedgehog, wearing red running shoes and white gloves growls darkly at the words spoken to him by this so-called 'seer'. Black eyes narrowed at the lizard, who backed away the enrage hero.

"Fat?" Sonic hisses out stalking forward as the purple lizards came to have his back flat against the wall, "Are you saying _I'm_ **fat**?!"

"No!" The lizard seer cries out in shock horror when he notices the reddest forming deep within those green orbs, "I am saying, if you do everything I say, your life will go well for you!"

"You want me to stop eating my beloved chilly dogs!" Sonic spat out as if he had been told that he was marrying Robotnik, "And eat nothing but that crazy diet! Hell. No. Not. Happening."

Sonic spins around on his heels, heading for exit of the hut he and his siblings had found the old lizard in. Sonia grabs hold of her brother's arm and tries to stop him from walking out. Manic rushes in front of his older brother, holding his arms out either side of him.

"Sonic! If we do what he says," Sonia cries out as her feet began dragging over the wooden flooring with the blue hedgehog's sheer strength, which surprised her greatly, "We may get a clue about our Mother!"

"Stop Sonic, you might ruin this chance!" Manic shouts, he held his ground as the older glares at him, not understanding how important the chilly dog was to Sonic. Letting out a heavy sigh, Sonic stops inches from the green furred hedgehog who sighs in relief. The pinky hedgehog also sighs deeply but smiles soon after, happy that her brother had listened to them.

"So you really want us to be separated again?" Sonic asks the younger royals, they turn their heads down, "Because that's what he means, its not just about the chilly dogs," Both Sonia and Manic snorts loudly at this, "It about us, being apart from which other. Will you really be okay?"

Sonia and Manic turn and met the other's eyes, smile kindly and face their brother again giving him a firm nod.

"This old man seems to know a lot," Manic says with a bold grin, "I bet we're find our Mama dearest in no time!"

"And I am going to be alone." Sonia speaks up, "I'll be straying with your old friends, some those Freedom Fighters had been to disband."

"Sally and Tails." Sonic says, he had not mention their names in the longest time, "Could it be their regrouping?"

"Yeah! That must be why the seer asked me to find them!" Sonia replies cheerfully, "They won't know where you have gotten too!"

"Mmmm...you're right about that..." Sonic thinks aloud, "We had to escape in such a hurry, everyone went their different ways, but I clearly remember Sally and Tails going off together."

"And I'll be fine," Manic says hopping forwards and wrapping one arm around his brother's shoulder, "I'm used to be alone for long period of time, I'm a street rat and all... well street _hedgehog_!" he laughs loudly at his own joke, causing Sonic to smile also.

"Well... if you're both sure," Sonic answers their plea with a heavy heart, "Then I will do what was asked."

"So then," Sonia says loudly, clapping her hands together gaining her brother's attention, "We have to prepare before we head off on our journey."

"Cool." Manic says grinning, "Like a camping trip!"

"This is going to be a little longer than a camping trip Manic," Sonic growls out moving back towards the now calm lizard, "So, you said something about a _diet _and plan."

"Yes, yes." Seer answers nodding his head, "I have ancient maps for you to follow, have lots of exercise..." Sonic growls yet again by those words, but the Seer continued with the quick nods of approval from the two younger hedgehogs behind, "These are what I fore see, these events that can happen will be the correct path to bring down Robotnik and find your mother the queen."

"Whatever..." Sonic says rolling his eyes, not liking the thought of being away from his brother and sister, nor not eating his favouite food.

* * *

Sonic smiles against the sunlight, the warmth against his fur felt so good. The blue hedgehog lay in a grassy field with no one around for miles. His thought ran free as he felt, this was where he belonged, no where else but here by himself running, running and more running.

At the back of his mind he remembers. He remembers everything, however to keep his sanely he choose to forget; soon those in his faded memory was only ghosts to him.

Sonic blinks his eyes opened, instead of the black colour they had changed to an rich emerald green. The quills on his back were longer, more wild. His once round stomach had flatten without the junk food he shoved down his throat, his muscles was given the chance to become stronger than even before, he had become taller when eating the right foods.

However Sonic felt like he was forgotten something, and not the memories of these he pushed aside. He recalls someone saying his name, speaking in a different manners, acting of events in another way.

Sonic dreamt of freedom in another world, a place where he ran without no one stopping him. Then there was the soft singing, someone trying to draw him to them.

'What is wrong with me?' Sonic thinks sitting up, his fur on his legs were mattered with dried mud. Sonic glances to the blue skies above, the odd clouds floats in them, slowly passing by. 'Sometimes I feel like I've done things before...'

Climbing to his feet, the ragged looking hedgehog turns to the flat lands around him wondering if it was time to return to that place. Images flashes through his mind's eyes, looking a pink and green hedgehogs; however in this image they was playing music, singing cheerfully along in tune with each other.

"Something we don't do..." Sonic says aloud as he tapped into his own true memories with a frown, he and his siblings do not play music at all, while they did like a bit on of a sing song, they did not have crystal like necklaces that morphed into music instruments.

And there was the dreams about Sally, another time and place; similar to how he was raised along side her, but in the dream he never left her side nor was their Freedom Fighters disbanded. He never found his siblings in that dream.

Tails was in many of his dreams, about five different dreams all in different settings. Always together though, still becoming his little brother... apart from that one dream where everyone he knew genders was reversed and Tails was his little sister...

"Weirdest. Dream. Ever." Sonic declares to the empty world around him, in one way he was glad, these things may never have come to him if he had still been with his family and on the other hand he hated these odd dreams. "I'm just crazy!"

Sonic sighs, he was fit and healthy now, just like the seer wanted. So where was he to inform Sonic it was time to return.

"Surely its time to go back?" Sonic says calmly, the years of being in complete freedom letting him run non stop caused him to have an even more laid back attitude than before. Sonic was debating if he should just blow the old lizard and run back to his siblings.

"I don't even know how long it's been!" Sonic says again in the laid back tone, eyes half closed as the sun reached high in the sky. Turning to the direction he knew a city was in, he grins. "Bet their be surprised to see me coming back early!"

Sonic readies himself then rockets off along the field, throwing grass into the air as he did. He let his mind wander once again, this time not letting his memories be taken away. It did not take long for the hedgehog to see the city, he had been travelling at Mach 1 speed. The air crack around him, shaking the world.

Then it happened, a sonic boom thundered throughout the land.


	9. Reborn 1

The seemingly ten year old girl named Maria Robotnik blinks towards the blue planet, white slow clouds crossing the large orb; her blue eyes shone in delight when she made out a thunder storm, lightning flashing over the dark clouds.

'I love this beautiful world...' Maria thinks leaning forward and pushing her palms against the thick glass that separated her from the empty space, 'I want to go there before I die...'

Glancing down sadly Maria knowing that this was impossible without her grandfather's consent, the old man was so over protective of her that he rarely let her out of their area 91. She has a incurable illness that weaken her and slowly drain her of life. Even knowing this, Maria wanted to see that blue from another point of view, looking up at it and not down.

'The sky, the lands, the mountains, the sands, the rivers, lakes and sea,' Maria closing her eyes as she remembers the images her the books she has read, recalls the photographs others had bought back from down below, 'I want to see them all.'

Maria slowly opens her eyes and draws again from the window, moving towards her bed. Flopping down she sighs deeply; gazing down at her legs she wondered if it would be fine for her to do 'that' today.

"I would have to ask Grandfather first," Maria says standing, walking towards the door her leg knocked into her comic books that was piled up besides her bed. She give those action super heroes comic books a glance and then continued on her way.

Pushing a button on the wall next to the door, it slid silently open. Hopping through the doors they closed behind her, grinning boldly she began to run. If there was one thing she loved doing, it was running.

Long blonde hair flow trailing before her, blue eyes once again shone; her illness caused her pain most days, but whenever she had her good days she would run or power walk around her area. If she was poorly, she still managed to get her fix by riding the fast running platforms that join some floors together.

Maria loved speed. Just as much as she loved the world she has never known.

'If Grandfather ever does find a cure,' Maria thinks to herself holding her arms out while running, 'Then I want to be a long distance runner! Or a race car diver! Oh! Maybe ride on one of those planes that go at sonic speed!'

"MARIA!" Her grandfather's voice shouted causing her to halt in her tracks, turning towards where the yell had come from she sees her frowning grandfather with his hands on his hips.

The human girl dropped her head, she had been talked time and time again not to run around in fear on going stressing her body.

"Maria, what have I told you?" Professor Gerald Robotnik asks his granddaughter who stood before him, "Please heed my warnings and do not run around like this!"

"But Grandfather," Maria pleas staring up at her with sorrowful eyes, blue orbs swam with unshaded tears, "If I am to die, can it not be doing something I love!"

"...I do not wish to hears those words ever again," Professor Robotnik hisses out now frowning so deeply it could have been mistaken for a glare, "My dear girl, there could be a chance here. A chance for you to keep on living!"

"At what cost?" Maria asks letting those tears fell down her cheeks, "I am dying inside! I am trapped in these walls! Grandfather, you have already prolonged my life with those cryosleep chambers, if you let me live as a normal human I would be in my twenties by now."

"I let your mind dwell in the virtual reality," Professor Robotnik says tilting his head in confusion, "Was you not happy with that? You got to see the sky there, live they like a normal person."

"It was nice," Maria admitted with a sigh, "But I want the real thing, I want to go down there! Run where ever the wind takes me! _Please_ let me live the rest of life in freedom!"

"Please do be patient Maria," Professor Robotnik asks gently, a smile appearing under his large moustache, "But...er.. did you not say last week that you wished to become a super hero?"

"Oh that..." Maria says feeling her cheeks redden, "I can dream can I not? I mean, me a hero is never going to happen, I was just play pretending! I liked that idea from those comic books Ivo keeps giving to me."

"Mmmmm..." Professor Robotnik hums out while grinning and stroking his moustache, "Yes, so now, what were you saying before? Something about you being twenty? And you still like comic books?"

"Grandfather!" Maria huffs out trying to look angry, but it came over as a cute out, "There is no age limit to reading comic books!"

"Of course, of course." Professor Robotnik says smiling at the look on his granddaughter's face, "But please Maria, for my sake, today rest. You have only just gotten over that terrible period."

"But it's because of that 'terrible period'," Maria replies pointy, "..as you call it, is why I want -no I need!- to run around!"

"Maria, please. This is the last time I will ask," Professor Robotnik says firmly, "Today, go rest."

"Fine." Maria says with a sigh, she slowly turns around and walks back the way she came, heading for her room once more.

"Wait! One more thing!" Professor Robotnik calls from behind, the blonde girl glances over her shoulder for him to go on, "What is your favouite animal?"

"Hedgehog." Maria answers without a second thought, she loves hedgehogs, "Why?"

"No reason..." Professor Robotnik replies with a pleased smile, "I shall not see you at dinner, we are working long into the night; so please eat without me. No skipping meals again."

"Okay, Grandfather." Maria says as she turn round walking off once again, wondering about the question that was asked.

0000000000000000000000000000

Maria blinks. Peering over the metal rails of the landing she gazes down at the overly large talking animals. Mobiuians from the planet Mobius that their Ark orbited, they came to space sometimes for the humans to pay them tribute for letting them use the planet's resources. Maria wanted to meet them, wanted to see what kind of creatures lived upon the surface of the world she loved so much. Ducking down she began crawling onto her hands and knees, hurrying along to keep pace with the visitors below. Grinning she tries to keep the giggles from escaping her lips, this was an adventure for her.

Suddenly she pauses and listens carefully, her eyes widens as she recognized the sound of feet upon metal; the elder men of the Ark and their guests was coming up the stairs close to where she hid. Sitting up she sat on her folded legs and her head darts in every direction, searching for a place to hide. On seeing a corridor she gets to her feet, and keeping low rushes over to there. The corridor was wide and spacious, it had big beams like archways few ten feet apart. Maria ran to the first beam and flatten her back against the wall, hoping that her blue dress was that eye catching. Her heart slammed in her rib caged as they chose to come down this corridor, she could hear their voices nearing.

"-hedgehog DNA," Her grandfather's voice says, "From about fifty unrelated hedgehogs, if you do not mind. We in turn shall share some of our technology, last time you spoke of a protection shield, we can start work on those-"

Professor Robotnik's voice was cut off, causing Maria to frown; slowly creeping out of her hiding place she peeked around the edge of the beam and found no one there.

'Must have gone into one of the rooms...' Maria thinks as she glances towards the many doors, 'But what was that Grandfather was saying hedgehog DNA?'

Turning Maria walks down the corridor, she had not been able to hear any thing else they had said that day because she had been so far away, but the little she did hear had left her head full of questions.

"I should not worry about it," Maria says to herself, in a almost laid back manner, "I am use if I do need to know, then I shall be told later."

"Told about what?" A small voice said from behind causing her to freeze; she slowly turns and relaxes when she notices it was only her cousin Ivo.

"Ivo, you scared me." Maria told the other ten year old, "When did you get back?"

"We came with the Mobiuians," The thin short boy Ivo Robotnik, he had a hair cut that looked like a helmet, "I got you some things, want to see them?"

"Love to!" Maria answers grinning from ear to ear, grabbing her cousin's hand she drags him along behind her as she made her way for her room, which was two floors above.

They went along in silence, the pair never talked until they was truly alone. Reaching the lifts Ivo pushes the button and they wait. More people were moving around them, some looked their way, knowing whom children their were. Son and daughter of the Robotnik Brothers, two space pirates who had given humankind a bad name over the years.

Maria tighten her hand around her cousin's. She was born ten years before Ivo, yet she was still in his age. Their fathers were twins who had a strong connection with each other, while it had never been fully revealed, Maria had heard that their fathers had fallen for the same woman and their mother was one and the same.

The doors opened and Maria held her head up high as she walks in.

'Just my father got to have her first...' Maria thinks dully, she did not like her mother at all; the woman was a crown princess of some planet or something, Maria had only met her twice in her lifetime.

Maria turns to stare at her cousin/brother, giving him a grin. She was the closest thing to a mother to him, when he was born their father returned to the Ark, it was Maria who raised the child until he was six years of age and after that he went into the 'system'.

The doors opened to their floor and together they ran hand in hand, Ivo slowly began to smile happy to be with Maria once more. Thankfully her room was not to far from the lifts, they came to the room pushed the button which caused the soundless door to open.

"Here we are!" Maria cheers loudly, holding both her hand along with Ivo's who she still held onto.

"Here we are!" Ivo mimicked grinning at her, both let go at the same time and Ivo started to remove the backpack from his back, sliding the straps off his shoulders he hurries over to the bed and sat it on there, "I got some more comic books! And photographs!"

"Great!" Maria cries out joyfully, coming over she gave him a big hug and then stood watching as he opened the backpack and began removing the contents. Her heart thump with excitement, wanting to love through the adventures of the characters that saved their worlds time after time.

Picking up the books Maria smiles happily, then blinks towards a sad looking Ivo.

"What is the matter?" Maria says tossing the comic to one side and moving close to the boy, "Want to tell me about it?"

"Do you think...?" Ivo begins looking down.

"Not often." Maria answers with a small smirk, she notices that made Ivo snicker and shaking his head he looks to her.

"Do you think that I can become a roboticist?" Ivo said at last causing Maria to blink, then she smiles at him.

"I think you can be anything you want!" Maria replies giving him a thumbs up like she seen in one of the comics.

"Well, must people say that," Ivo mumbles suddenly looking discouraged, "Then they start giving me a list of a lot of other things that I would be good at..."

Maria studied her adopted son come cousin slash brother, frowning at those word.

"Listen, do you love robots?" Maria asks him firmly, staring him right into his blue eyes that were so much like her own.

"I do." Ivo says softly looking almost ashamed at his answer.

"Then you can do," Maria says grabbing his shoulders so he could not move or look away, "Ivo, if you love something, truly love something, then do not let go of it! Grab hold of it, protect it with everything you got. And if you say that you love robot and want to become a roboticist! Then by Barney you shall make your dream into a reality. And never let anyone tell you any different!"

"Okay..." Ivo answers blues shining at her words, he comes forward and hugs her tightly, "Okay..." Maria grins boldly glad to have helped.

0000000000000000000000000000

Maria felt sick, her whole body ached and she was tried, all she wanted was to sleep; her blue eyes were surrounded by reddest from her tears of agony, her lips dry because of increased heavy breathing and she shook badly all over.Ivo had returned to Mobius few days ago, she was glad she managed to wait until he went before collapsing. The child knew she was ill but never seen her in the worst states she gets into.

Professor Robotnik had stopped coming to see her, working on the Ark's newest project. What the project was Maria still did not knew, but she sure that her grandfather would tell her soon enough, he loved hearing his own voice and could talk for hours about his latest plans.

The doors opened, causing light to spill into the room and making her close them tightly; blinking them open once the doors shut, through the dim lighting saw sees her grandfather staring down at her.

"Maria, you're going back to sleep." Professor Robotnik says grimly, she could not sees his face clearly but she managed to smile through her pain and tries to reach out for him, "But I have installed a new program in the virtual reality, it will allow you to travel at high speeds."

"I want... for myself..." Maria says softly feeling darkest spread over her, "...my own freedom...take me to …. that world …. let me see the sky, feel the wind... run...let me run..."

Professor Robotnik watching his beloved granddaughter dying, she was such a strong girl who wanted so much to live life to the full. Because she could not follow her own dreams she always wanted for others to fulfil theirs.

"...grandfather...if had been born a boy," Maria says struggling to keep her eyes open, "... would I have been stronger..."

"Oh? I want to be a boy?" Professor Robotnik asks with interest.

"Yes, be...cause, boys get to...do what they want... and travel where ever ….." Maria takes a sharp inward take of breathe, "...girls are weak... and always in need...of protection..."

"Mmmm, is that how you view yourself my dear girl?" Professor Robotnik asks sadly as he continues watching her, he turns to the others in the room that she had yet to noticed and nods to them, "I shall do anything that makes you happy, Maria. Anything."

0000000000000000000000000000

Maria felt good.

"Surprisingly good." Maria says aloud lifting up her own hands to see them, she pats her body down, "What is this? Normally I can not walk for a week after awaking... so why I am so fine?"

Glancing around she quickly notices that she is not in her normal room is wakes up in, the place was white, where the other room was blue. A mirror was over to one side of the room, embedded into the wall.


	10. In The End 1

The ex-hero of the planet Mobius frowns deeply, he was waiting for his wife to come back from getting de-quilled at the salon; blue hedgehog known as Sonic tapped one foot against the ground, encircling him was his seven purpled furred daughters. The eight year old hoglets all stare up at him with question written in their forest green eyes, they too wondering why their mother was taking so long.

"Right, we've going to get Mama." Sonic announces, then fell into a quick dash with the seven following fast behind, it was outside the doors of the salon in a matter of seconds.

The same forest green eyes as the daughter's scan the area through the window, seeing no sign of the pink hybrid hedgehog, his frown deepens. Brining a hand up he pushes the door open, walking in he held it for the speedy little hoglets to come in, when the last one darts through he closes it and walks over to the main desk while his offspring play wildly in the waiting area.

"Excuse me," Sonic asks the pale creamy coloured bird, "Is my wife Amy Sega still here?"

"Amy Sega?" The bird says blinking, "The pink hedgehog, she left a couple if hours ago with the fisherman."

"The fisherman?" Sonic questions, not knowing what she meant by this, "What fisherman? Someone she knows?"

"Oh she knew him already," The bird answers with a snort, "A little too well if you ask me, they could not keep their hands off of each other."

"Where are they now?" Sonic says with narrow eyes.

"They went towards the harbour," The bird answers looking unhappy as she gazes upon the little hoglets that were wandering around the waiting area, "I think that fisherman's boat's name is Rare Breed."

"Thanks..." Sonic replies grimly, turning on his heels the father of seven waves his arm gaining their attention to follow.

Sonic stretched out his legs preparing for a run, the harbour was not that far from where he was but he still stretch for his offspring's sake. Straighten he glances over his shoulder seeing that his daughters were going to the same, grinning to them points forwards and then shoots off. Sonic always ran at slow pace with his daughters, however because he seemed to always have them, he had not been able to run at his full speed since they was first born.

Sonic comes to a halt on the docks, where a boat cleanly marked as 'Rare Breed' was tied. Marching onwards he pauses, he smiles sadly at his daughters who were still following him as they always did.

"Wait here." Sonic asks softy with gentleness reaching his eyes, "I'll be back."

Crossing the plank he listening for an sound of movement or voices, thinking he hears something he makes his way below deck.

It was Amy's voice he could hear.

"-such an old man!" Amy says with an sigh, "I can not believe how much he has chanced, I mean, as soon as I fell with our offspring he gave up being a hero! Who does that?!"

Sonic blinks, confusion and hurt filled his heart. He could hear another voice, this one too low to work out the works.

"I know, I know!" Amy goes on, with another sigh, "But I think I was in love with the idea of being in love! Once I realized how old fashioned Sonic was towards mates, I was like, 'What? Okay, is this really the cool blue hedgehog I know and love?'. It was a complete disappointment!"

"Yeah, you are." Sonic growls out darkly, causing the pair to jump and turn around; Amy pulls the blanket higher trying to find herself from view. Sonic stares towards the much younger male, it was one of the next up and coming heroes.

"Sonic..." Amy breathes out looking at a lost for words, "What..?"

"What am I doing here?" Sonic asks with a snort, "Waiting for you to come home, of course, seems like you lost track of time."

"Sonic I..I" Amy says really to burst into tears, the new hero glances to pink to the blue, then he wraps his arms around the ex-hero's wife's shoulder.

"What you don't seem to understand Amy," Sonic spat out glaring at the pair, "Is that I didn't want to leave my old life, I always wanted to run freely. However you just kept on and on, you never left me alone and as soon as you got me, you found out that you don't want me."

"Sonic-" The new hero starts.

"Silence you." Sonic hisses out, the tips of his quills yellowing slightly in his rage, "Amy, I gave up my life for the eight new ones we bought into this world. I would have thought you would do the same. Well... then this is the sort of being you are, you disgust me. I'm leaving you now, have fun with your toy boy, old lady."

Sonic spins on his heels and speeds out, before he could blink he was standing out on the docks once more.

"Papa?" One of his daughters asks tilting her head.

"One thing you should know," Sonic says to his daughters as they neared him, "You all was never planned, however this does not stop the fact that you are my hoglets, and that I love you seven more than anything in this world now."

"..." The seven stare at him not understanding what their father meant by this.

"Well come on," Sonic says trying to gain control over himself, "Let's go home, your mother won't be joining us any more."


	11. In The End 2

Sonic the hedgehog grins proudly at the image on screen, his seven adult daughters had become the planet's number one hero group. Their speed and power overwhelmed any villain that came they way, and their line to the planet's first hero made them even more poplar with the people.

The old hero leans back in his seat, his legs had given out of him a few years ago making him no longer be able to run.

Closing his eyes he remember the struggles he faced raising his daughters alone, learning them all his attacks, dealing with them as teenagers and coming to terms with them leaving home in favour of pairing off with their mates.

'When I was younger,' Sonic thinks as he open his lids half eyes, 'I said to myself, I hope I die before I get old... here I am, old and wriggly without my beloved speed...'

Sonic sighs hard, he blinks open his eyes fully and glances at the house he lived in; he moved in a with Big a few years ago, when his wife Frogy died. The only reason was because his youngest daughter married Big and Frogy's only son.

During that time Sonic did not want his girl to pair off with a cat frog hybrid. At the time everyone thought it was because he was a hybrid until Sonic pointed out that Amy was also a hybrid of two different animal kind and therefore this was not the promble; Sonic at last gave in, no one even did found out the reason why he was so against them mating. The big tall blue thin cat thing however proved to be a good mate to his daughter; they had a daughter called Blaze, a lilac furred cat, with Frogy's golden eyes and Sonic speed.

Big's son Freddy and Sonic's youngest daughter Emerald, took them both in so they all came to live under the same roof. Sonic raised Blaze more than his daughter and son-in-law did, because of their duties to the world.

"I thought my child rearing was over..." Sonic says with a smirk, but it gave him something to do other than play chess or debate with the overweight cat about the secrets of the universe.

Just then Blaze wandered in, frowning deeply over something. She came all the way where Sonic was seated and kneed down before him, having something to say.

"Grandfather Sonic." Blaze greets, her golden eyes held much respect for the old hedgehog, "I wish to have your insight on a matter that come to my attention."

'How the hell did I raise this girl again?' Sonic thinks as he listens to her speech, he addressed her as he always did, "Go ahead my daughter."

"Grandfather Sonic," Blaze says in little of unknown emotion was in her tone, "It appears that I have- well, I have been acting strangely around my friend and partner."

"Silver?" Sonic asks knowing who it was right away, Blaze had seven 'partners' she fought along side with, however he had noticed his granddaughter mentioning more and more of him.

"Yes!" Blaze replies looking clearly shocked that Sonic knew, "Grandfather Sonic, how did you know?"

"Because I'm Sonic." Sonic answers with a sly grin, but when Blaze nods her head firmly as if everything made sense now, he tried hard not to laugh and break the wise image he made for himself with Blaze and his other sixteen grandchildren.

"Grandfather Sonic," Blaze says with a serious tone, "What does these things mean? Why am I acting this way towards him?"

Sonic allowed himself to smile at her. Silver was his grandchild also, he was the youngest son of his eldest daughter who paired with Shadow and Rouge's son, Diamond; this making Blaze and Sliver cousins. Of course mating within cousins was fine.

"Blaze, you need to first learn what your feeling towards Sliver are," Sonic tries to explain, "Once you know, do not find from them, act on them and you will be happy."

"Happy?" Blaze says in a thoughtful manner, she stares at her grandfather, " Grandfather Sonic, could it be that you already know what is happening with me?"

"Yes." Sonic answers shortly, feeling a little sorry for Sliver now, "Blaze, trust me, you will be fine. You are my granddaughter after all."

"Yes, yes I am." Blaze replies with confidence as she rose up, "I shall discover what my strange behaver towards Sliver, when that happens Grandfather Sonic, you shall be proud of me!"

With that said the fiery cat zooms out the room, no doubt hunting for Sliver to question him, leaving Sonic in silence.

"You can come out Sliver," Sonic says minutes after Blaze vanished, "Blaze is gone."

A white furred hedgehog hybrid floats down form the ceiling, cheeks flushed red as he wiggles his fingers together. Sonic grins, it was odd to see one of his grandchildren looking so unsure of himself, most had gained his confidence and attitude in one shape or form; and Shadow and Rouge was never like that, nor was his eldest daughter Rosa, nor Diamond.

"You knew I was here..." Sliver moans out, it wasn't a question, "Don't tell Blaze, please Grandpa Sonic."

"Sure no worries," The old blue hedgehogs says with a grin, for some reason he felt like he could relax around Sliver, he felt more like a good friend than a grandchild to him at some times, "But now you know what Blaze was thinking, you feel better now?"

"I do." Sliver answers with a small smile, "Thank you for your help Grandpa, all that advice you gave me got Blaze to notice me."

"Like I said, no worries." Sonic laughs out, she slyly went on to say, "But I want to see my great-grandchild like the pair of you soon!"

"What?!" Sliver cries out in shock, his whole muzzle going completely red, "Grandpa!"

Sonic simply grins some more, happy at how his grandchildren had come out. He already had great-grandchildren with some of his older grandchildren, but being the closest with Blaze and Sliver he wanted to see their offspring before he died.


	12. In The End 3

The pale blue hedgehog smiles at the white cat like hedgehog, golden eyes happily stare up at him. Sonic reaching down and lifts the infant up, he rubs his cheek against the smaller one; the tiny child giggles as he claps his hands.

Blaze and Sliver sat close by, eating and drinking at the panic. Sonic's whole family was there, along with his daughter's mates's families. His grandchildren were running around riot, playing, laughing and joking.

"Maria!" Sonic hears to his left, turning his sees Shadow growling at a black and white bat like hedgehog who had her arms crossed over her chest and turning her chin up at him.

Sonic grins at this, Maria was Shadow's only daughter and he spoiled her rotten; she was in love with Knuckles's youngest son Barney, whom Shadow hated with intensity because of his little girl.

Sonic glances around, other than Shadow most of his friends had died. Tails went before him, which was a surprise, Cream his wife died not long after him, they had 232 children and Sonic lost count how many grandchildren they had. Knuckles paired with a dog who was not part of their group when they fought together, she came much later on in the red furred echidna's life, they had only three children.

Amy kept going with new heroes and following the latest fads, she did well in her bakery shop when she at last settled down, but never paired off with any one again; she did have a child whom father in unknown.

'Amy did not know what is was missing...' Sonic thinks almost sadly.

Sonic frowns, he knew he was forgetting a few others, a lot of others, but his mind could no longer recall their faces. But he did hear that Eggman cloned himself. The mad roboticist went into bio science for a couple of years and discovered his own way of making himself, which he the frozen in a secret location to be released 100 years over another one does.

"Grandpa!" Sonic hears a small voice say, opening his eyes he sees little great-grandson staring up at him, "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Sonic answers with a horse voice, "Go play with Mama and Papa, Arthur, Grandpa is just resting his eyes for a moment."

"Okay!" Arthur answers jumping up he ran over to Blaze and Sliver.

Sonic leans back against the tree, feeling an odd feeling wash over him, he peers over at Shadow who was glaring at him for some strange reason. Not caring much Sonic closing his eyes and began drafting off to into a deep sleep.

0000000000000000000000000000

Sonic blinks, then frowns up at the dark skies above. Not that he was frowning at them, rather because he could see them clearly.

The next thing he realized was that he was being carried in someone's arms, bridal style. Turning he green eyes fell upon narrowed red ones.

"Yo Shadow!" Sonic greets, then pauses in surprise at the sound of his voice. It was.. young, like it was when he was a teen and nothing like it was moments ago, old and wore. "What's happening?"

"You died." Shadow answers as he continues to walk with Sonic in his arms, "And I am taking you away before they turn you to ash."

"Huh?" Sonic managed to get out, he frowns at his old friend and rival, "Wait, why are you so young!? Didn't you age with me?"

"You only thought you was ageing," Shadow answers, glaring ahead of them, "Your body was mimicking those around you, you even broken your own legs and damaged yourself to feel the aches and pains."

"I wouldn't do that!" Sonic says as he wiggles slightly, but Shadow had a firm grip on him.

"Yes you would," Shadow growls up, "We are both the same, our bodies go on and on, so long as we are not killed or burned to ash."

"What about our children?" Sonic questions stopping trying to get out, "Their are like us right?"

"No." Shadow answers bluntly, "They will continue on as normal Mobiuians."

"Wow... well that bites." Sonic replies not liking the idea of himself living while his offspring died out. Frowning deeply Sonic stares at Shadow, "Did you know?"

"Yes." Shadow said not meeting those green eyes.

"Then why?" Sonic asks.

"Because just for a second, I wanted a normal life." Shadow answers at last looking down and staring him.

"Soo...Now we're struck together...forever?" Sonic asks crossing his arms over his chest.

"Pretty much." Shadow agrees turning to face forward once more, he made his way towards some metal doors, "Eggman knew about this too. He prepared cryosleep chambers for us. We should awaken after his first clone is born."

"... Eggman..." Sonic sighs out shaking his head; the doors opened and Shadows walks through, with Sonic still in his arms."And do you think I can walk now? Or are my legs still broken?"

"Still broken," Shadow answers with an odd growl, which caused Sonic to raise his eyebrows, "They will heal during our sleep."

They come to another set of doors, which open. Walking in Shadow wandering over to an open cryosleep chamber and placed the blue hedgehog inside, before climbing in himself.

"Er... Shadow?" Sonic says as he watches the black and red hedgehog settle behind him, "Is this the only chamber?"

"And that is why Eggman is going to pay." Shadow growls laying on his back, pulling Sonic down with him to do the same; he then tapped some buttons that ran along side the bed. A gas washed over them, "Good night Sonic."

"Yeah...'Night Shadow." Sonic mumbles as he felt his eyes shut, coldest filled his bones and he moved closer to the over heat which was Shadow. Together the pair fell asleep, waiting for their life to restart when they woke up.


	13. Write Down Ten Random Characters! 1

**Write Down Ten Random Characters! (Sonic Style!)**

**1. Shadow**

**2. Sonic**

**3. Eggman/Robotnik **

**4. Rouge**

**5. Knuckles **

**6. Blaze**

**7. Amy**

**8. Silver**

**9. Tails**

** 10. Super Sonic**


	14. Write Down Ten Random Characters! 2

**1) Four invites Three and Eight to dinner at their own house. What happens?**

**Rouge invites Eggman and Sliver to dinner to her house...**

The white bat smiles, showing her fangs to the world; Sliver kept giving her odd glances, the bold large round man grins towards the grey furred hedgehog. The human male and hedgehog male were both sitting at the table, waiting for their meal.

"So, Silver," Robotnik starts his grin spreading widen under his moustache, "A little... bird told me that you tried and failed to kill Sonic... twice."

"Yeah..." Silver answers looking uncomfortable with with topic, "But he forgive me, I mean... Its not like I want to kill him any more or anything like that, it was a mistake on my part."

"Do you still want to kill Sonic?" Rouge asks walking in with a plate with the food and places it in the middle of the table, "We at Eggman Industries are currently gaining new allies to fight against Sonic and take him down once and for all. Are you interested in the offer?"

"Sorry... But I don't kill without good reason," Silver says as he glances down at the plate, Rouge was piling food on his, "And its normally if the whole world as we know it is coming to an end."

"Fair enough." Eggman says with a snort, Rouge had moved on to his plate and giving him a nice helping. Rouge then took her seat next to Eggman and began serving herself.

'I have to get out of here,' Silver thinks as he digs into the meal, 'And inform Sonic that his arch-enemy is planning on killing him!'

Just then the doors flew open and slammed against the door, causing Silver to leap from his seat and spin around ready for anything. The future hedgehog blinks in shock when he sees Sonic standing there grinning ear to ear.

'Oh no!' Silver thinks as he watches the blue hero marching in, 'Sonic will think I'm plotting against him again!'

"Yo Silver!" Sonic greets as he strolls in now, he jumps into the seat opposite the human, "What are you doing here? I thought you went back to the future!"

"Rogue invited me for dinner before heading back," Silver says quickly not reaching the green eyes that still stared at him, "They also asked if I wanted to join them!"

"Oh great!" Sonic says amused, "What did you say?"

"Er...No." Silver answers blinking unsure at Sonic's attitude towards this.

"That's a shame, you would have been a great enemy to fight against!" Sonic says with a pout and then sighs, "Oh well, never mind. What's for eats?"

"This." Rouge answers walking around the table and began serving Sonic some food, "Enjoy."

"Thanks... looks like something Blaze chocked up," Sonic comments with a grin, "But your stuff always good!"

"Mmm... Can someone fill me in..." Silver asks at last.

"Me and Sonic has dinner together once a week," Eggman explains as he chews his mean carefully, "Been doing so for many years now, right Sonic!"

"Right." Sonic answers with a firm nod, "Not many people know, guess because you're from the future does not matter much."

"...right..." Silver says as he continues to eat, still not understanding heroes and villains of the past.


	15. Write Down Ten Random Characters! 3

**You need to stay at a friend's house for a night. Whose house, One or Six?**

**So 'you' aka 'Athshe' needs to stay at Shadow or Blaze's place...**

Athshe stands under the bus stop shelter, it was late in the evening and the sun has set leaving the air around her cold. Athshe frown at her heavy hands, she was an echidna; which was not what she wanted.

She came from the real human world being a big fan of Sonic The Hedgehog games and used a strange ancient wishing well to take her there and live. However she lost her human form and began an boring brown coloured echidna with dull brown eyes. It was nothing like she had hoped, Athshe had wanted to go on adventures with her favourite hedgehog but it turned out she still needed to live, until the games, comics and cartoons she had to get a job, paid the rent and obtain food.

Stuff she could be doing in her own world but still have the enjoyment of playing her beloved games but there was no game consoles in this world and all the time she had been there she had yet to see Sonic, the only character she had seen was Blaze while she was in this time and Shadow who lived in an apartment close to her basement flat.

Athshe sighs loudly, wrapping her arms around herself. Her belongings were in boxes all around her because she had just been kicked out of that basement flat in question.

"Stuck in this so-called dream world," Athshe hisses to herself, narrow eyes glared at the empty street, "In this stupid form with ugly fur! I swear as soon as I get enough money I'm dying it blue!"

Suddenly Athshe sees Blaze moving quickly down the street, seemingly in a bad mood. Athshe did not bother trying to wave her down for aid, the cat did not appear to like her very much for reasons unknown.

"Maybe Shadow will take me in for the night?" Athshe asks the stars above, "Or until I find a new flat?"

"And why would I do that?" A deep dark voice asks causing the brown fake echidna to spin around; before her stood Shadow, he was eyeing up her belongings on the ground.

"No reason..." Athshe replies turning away and staring right ahead hoping he would pass her by, 'Really? Could my life get any worst? I have spoken to Shadow... I think I spoken to him a few times, wait! Don't I talk to him every time I see him?'

Brown eyes glance over to Shadow he appeared to be waiting for her to say more.

"It seems that we won't be neighbours any more," Athshe says sadly, "I could not keep up with the rent and was kick out."

Shadow frowns at this, he turns and wanders behind her.

'Making his way home now?' Athshe thinks as she turns back to the main street, 'Guess it has been fun living here, close to Shadow, and even Blaze. I seemed to be the only one who did.'

Athshe remembers seeing the other neighbours ducking down their garden fence in order not to talk or be seen by Shadow, the same was for Blaze.

"What's going on here?" Another hard voice asks, turning Athshe see Blaze standing there with her hand on her hips.

"Athshe has been kicked out," Shadow answers, it was then the echidna notices that he had one of her boxes in hand, "She asked if she could stay at my place until she sort herself out."

"Staying at a male's place!" Blaze hisses out almost enraged, "A male and female can not sleep under the same roof when they are not mates or while there is no one else there!"

"So wh-" Shadow began while Blaze quickly came forward and grabs the box out of the dark hedgehog's hands.

"Athshe can stay at my place," Blaze growls out, "I am rarely there, so she can take care of it for me while I'm gone!"

Athshe stands there blinking, not believing what was happening. Shadow bends down and takes another bigger box, then follows Blaze over the street; the odd pair stops and glances behind waiting for the other to come with them.

"Thank you." Athshe could not help herself, tears formed in her tears, "I didn't think I had any friends here."

"Seeing as you're the only one who talk to me on a daily basic," Shadow snort out, "That kind of makes you the only 'friend' around here."

"Indeed." Blaze nod in agreement, "Now hurry, the night is getting colder."


	16. Write Down Ten Random Characters! 4

**Two and Seven are making out when Ten walks in. Ten's reaction?**

**Sonic and Amy are making out (wow! That worked out well for Amy. LOL), when Super Sonic walks in. (I grew up with the Fleetway comics, so I using the Fleetway Super Sonic.)**

The blue blur frowns deeply, he was completely and utterly drunk but at that moment in time did not care. Sonic turns to one of the ten companies he partied with the night before and grins.

Amy Rose who was not as drunk as the hero, smiles as she leans forward. The pink hedgehog had managed to bring the Sonic all the way to her house, he was such a happy drunk. Sonic was laying on her sofa with her over the top of him.

"Sonic..." Amy purrs his name, watching as he kept blinking as eyes looking a little red, "Do you love me?"

"...sure I do," Sonic laughs leading forward and gave her a gently headbutt.

"Then what can I do for you to marry me?" Amy asks lightly, touching his lips with her fingers wanting to taste him.

"mmmmmmmm..." Sonic hums loudly, he laugh and even giggles half way through while he thought about it, "Tell you what, if you can get the Master Emerald off Knuckles and keep it with you for 24 hours, then I'll marry you!"

"Oh Sonic!" Amy cries out in delight, she drops her head out and kisses him fully on the mouth.

Suddenly it felt very warm. Blinking her eyes open she stares down at a now yellowed furred hedgehog with whirling red eyes and sharp fangs.

"How dare you touch my Sonic!" Super Sonic growls out as he threw the female off of him, she flew all the way over to the other way of the room and slammed against the wall, "Sonic is mine! Nobody else's but _mine_!"

Super Sonic floats in the centre of the room, growl dangerously, with a sudden burst the whole house went down in a sea of flames. The super powered hedgehog screams with laugher as the yellow fire grow larger and larger sending smoke into the dark skies above.

Feeling the need to damaged something else, Super Sonic rose up onto the sky and shots off into the night leaving a trail of light behind, second after a sonic boom was heart throughout the zone.

Amy ran out of the burning building, she fell to her knees coughing loudly. Exhausted she gazes at her home, then reaches down into her pocket and grins madly. She takes out a small black machine and pushes a button.

{Then what can I do for you to marry me?} Amy hears her own voice play back to her, {mmmmmmmm...} The recording carries on, this time with Sonic's voice playing, {Tell you what, if you can get the Master Emerald off Knuckles and keep it with you for 24 hours, then I'll marry you!}

Amy threwher head back, it was her turn to laugh madly into the night. The pink stalker had found a way to made Sonic belong to her.


	17. Write Down Ten Random Characters! 5

**Three falls in love with Six. Eight is jealous. What happens?**

**Okay... Eggman fall in love with Blaze, and Sliver is jealous. **

Doctor Robotnik commonly known as Eggman now a days, sat watching the screen never taking his eyes off of the fiery flames coming off of the lilac cat's feet as she fast with speed. Stopping the image and zooming in, Eggman stares at the golden hard eyes that was focused with the task at hand.

"You still staring at that cat Eggman?" Rouge asks as she flies down and lands close by, "She is from the future and only here for a short period of time when she comes."

"Her fur looks so soft," Eggman hums out, almost staring in a daze, "I always had a weak spot for cats."

"Don't you have your own kind you can pair off with?" Rouge asks in a huff, "Another human perhaps?"

"Rouge, if you haven't noticed I am the only human in this world." Eggman slaps out, "Of course I am going to find the creatures I was raised around attractive."

"Oh?" Rouge says with a frown, "Guess it makes sense, more and more kinds and pairing off with different kinds. Just look at Cream's mother and that Vector. Wonder if that bunny will lay eggs?"

"Who cares!" Eggman says turning to the bat, "I want that cat! Rouge find a way to make her mine!"

"We are ask Sliver..." Rouge says glancing towards the fuming hedgehog that had popped round for tea, "He is from the same time period, or we could kidnap one of her friends in this time."

"Friends?" Eggman asks with a frown, not notices that Silver was glowing an eerily blue colour.

"An echidna," Rouge answers with a smirk, "Which will be too easy since this echidna has no power what so ever, in fact I'd say she was completely useless. This young female shares the same apartment as Blaze, they are room mates."

"Do it." Eggman says grinning madly; Rogue smiles and spreading her wings she flew upwards, just in time because Silver chose to attack causing the screens with Blaze's image shattering everywhere. The last thing Rouge hears is Eggman screaming in pain as some of the glass embeds into his face.


	18. Write Down Ten Random Characters! 6

**Four jumps you in a dark alleyway. Who rescues you, two, ten or seven?**

**Rogue jumps 'you' aka Athshe in a dark alley. Who comes to her rescue? Sonic, Super Sonic or Amy?**

Athshe hurries along, her work was going well and life had become a little more easier thanks to Blaze letting her share half the apartment, she was closer to Shadow where she was too.

'Shadow a friend,' Athshe thinks as she made her way towards the black and red hedgehog's home, 'When I first came to this world, making friends with him was the last one of my list. And I still was not met Sonic!'

Athshe stops outside a shop window, glancing at herself up and down. Shadow did not seem aware that her world that games of him and Sonic, so she knew a lot about him and the others which no one in this world such do; all she told him was that she was a Sonic fan girl and came to Green Hill Zone's main city to met him, she also explained her disappointment of not being able to meet him.

Shadow was pretending that he did not know Sonic, so she left it at that and never said any more; truth was she had overheard him talking with Rouge on the phone, he was worried that she was only his friend to get close to Sonic.

'Must be hard for Shadow.' Athshe thinks sadly as she stares at her echidna form, she had gone with she said and dyed her fur blue,'Oh well, I going to his place for dinner! That's always fun!'

Athshe had been doing the thinks that friends do that Shadow. Shopping, seeing movies, eating at each others places, buying gifts well Athshe bought gifts, she always did this with her friends at home but after a while Shadow began giving her small gifts too. With Blaze they went on a trip for the ringed moons that went around the planet, which was fun, Blaze and Shadow had become close thanks to her.

'Maybe I draw some Shadow slash Blaze fan fictions because of that!' Athshe thought with a bright smile, turning she continued down the street. Suddenly someone grabs her from behind and pulls her into a dark ally, falling to the ground with a small cry on pain.

"What are you doing?" Athshe slaps out angrily, then blinks when she sees the smirking white bat, "What do you want?"

"I simply want to borrow you for a bit," Rouge says with a smooth voice giving the blue echidna a playful wink, "Mind coming with me for a while?"

"...Sorry, but no." Athshe answers carefully, she quickly gets to her feet, 'I am not meant to know who this is!' frowning at the bat, "I have to get to my friend's place, we're having dinner tonight. But... is it important? The think you want me for? If it's not too much, I'm sure we can get my friend to help you with it."

"Sorry sweetheart, but this is a kidnapping," Rogue says with that same smirk not looking the slightly bit sorry.

"A kidnapping?" Athshe repeats dumbly while blinking and titling her head, "Er...Why?"

Then it happened the wind pick up around them as a blue blurred rushed into the alleyway and hid behind some old rotten boxes that was left by the bins.

"Sonic...?" Athshe breathes out when she realizes just who was kneeing down, "Sonic the Hedgehog!"

"Huh?" The hero says turning their way, he gave the blue echidna a quick look and then looked away with a almost bored expression, "Not another fan girl."

"Hey Sonic," Rogue greets sweetly, "What you doing?"

"Amy is stalking me big time!" Sonic replies going deeper into the shadows.

"Want me to help!?" Athshe asks eager to please the famous hedgehog, "Oh! My name is Athshe!"

"Sonic," Sonic states dully, "But of course you already know that."

"There she is," Rogue laughs as she points, sure enough a pink hedgehog appears looking mad about something, "Evening Amy, how has your day been?"

"Not now Rouge!" Amy replies raging about something with hammer in hand, "Sonic won't sit down and talk with me! Did he come this way?"

Athshe who had been looking towards Sonic and Amy, turns hard up to go into complete fan girl mode. It was such easier with Shadow and Blaze, since she been with meet them right away after moving in and only saw them at a distance, by the time she had went up and talked to them she had already gotten it out of her system.

Amy's eyes narrows towards the blue coloured echidna, suddenly she darts forward and following Athshe's sight of vision finds Sonic's finding place. He jumps up and speeds away, growling out Amy runs after him.

"Hey wait!" Athshe cries out after them, "I finally at to met him and he doesn't stay long enough for me to talk."

"Anyway," Rouge laughs as she holds out a rope, "Shall we continue with this kidnapping?"

"...how about on Tuesday?" Athshe asks almost kindly to the bat coming toward her with an evil glint in her friends, "I have dinner with my friend Shadow tonight and-"

"Did you say Shadow?" Rouge asks cutting her off, green eyes studying the echidna with more interest now, "Well then, you can go."

",...huh?" Athshe says blinking in confusion.

"I thought you meant you were eating dinner with Blaze the Cat since you kept saying friend," Rogue explains as she places the ropes away in some unknown place behind her back, "Well you better hurry along, I don't want your boyfriend mad at me."

With that said the bat flew away, leaving the once human girl blinking in even more confusion.

"Boyfriend?" Athshe says unsure what to make of that, then she notices a yellow trail travelling across the dark black skies lighting up the place it went too, "Oh!" she cries in delight, watching Super Sonic pass, completely forgotten about dinner with her friend.


	19. Write Down Ten Random Characters! 7

**One decides to start a cooking show. Fifteen minutes later, what happens?**

**So now, Shadow is doing a cooking show...**

Shadow aims the camera carefully, it wobble for a moment and he brings his hands up again and steadies it; moving back watching the camera, he at last break a small smirk.

Athshe loves cooking shows, thus he wanted to record his dealing with their dinner and show her after to see with she thought. The only problem was that he only knew the most limited foods and tonight he chosen to cook for dinner pancakes.

Yes, Shadow The Hedgehog was pretending to do a cooking show while making pancakes.

Cleaning his throat loudly Shadow faces the camera, his lips twitched as he tries to smiles, a light flush came over his muzzle.

"Good evening," Shadow greets with camera awkwardly, "And tonight on …... Shadow's.. No wait! Tonight on Cooking with Shadow, I will show you a step by step guide on cooking pancakes...or would pancakes come under frying? No cooking comes under the terms of heating food in order to eat, so it is cooking."

Giving the camera another odd smile he gestures towards the things that were already on the work's surface.

"First off!" Shadow booms out, "You will need a a large bowl" He carries on, holding it up for a moment and placing it down before going onto the next thing, "A large frying pan, wooden spoon, ladle -if wanted- and spatula. A jug with measure on the side and weighting scales. "

Looking around quickly, making sure he had not forgotten anything before moving on, "Now!You'll need flour, 100 grams. One large egg. ½ pint semi-skimmed milk with a touch of water and a pinch of salt. And some butter for greasing the pan..."

As he spoke he held up to the camera the ingredients he mentioned, frowning he glances towards the things to one side.

"Now we begin," Shadow growl out as his red eyes narrow towards the ingredients darkly, a smirk forming on his lips, "Get your scales and weight out the right amount, as you can see I already have done this."

He holds out a small see through bowl with white powder in it, "Take the large mixing bowl and place the flour, some people like to sieve this in but because of my speed it ends up on the walls, also the salt with it."

Shadow sits the clear through bowl to one side and added the salt, he when mixes by simply turning with the wooden spoon.

"And now," Shadow hisses out while glaring at the mixture, the camera appeared to shake at the deadly look, "Break the egg into the bowl. Stir until it becomes a bread crumb like mix."

Shadow stirs carefully while staring downward with death glare at the mix, the camera lens pick up some white vapour where the temperature dropped. The hedgehog continues like this for a moment, just staring while watching the mix.

"Next," Shadow says in a deadly soft whisper, "You add the milk little by little, comes doing this or else it may become lumpy; keep doing this until it comes like a light batter."

Shadow did what he claims, stirring and mixing little and often; watching for a moment he lifts the spoon while letting it fall back into the mixing bowl. Then nodding his head he placing it down into the bowl.

"For this next part, you'll be using the pan," Shadow grins evilly at the camera, "If you're a hoglet, be sure to have a fully grown adult to watch over you. Or do you want to burn your hands off?"

Moving forward Shadow grabs the camera and faces it and focuses it onto the pan that was on the hob. He then moves away and comes back with the mixing bowl and a few other things, he sits them down and starts talking again.

"You want this to be on medium heat," Shadow says in an almost bored tone, "Put a small piece of butter in and let it melt."

Shadow reaches for one of the items he gotten, it was the ladle. He watches the butter melt for a second and then dips the ladle into the mix.

"A spoonful in enough," Shadow mumbles with narrow eyes towards the camera, he takes the ladle out and held it high, he pours it onto the pan, those red eyes never leaving the camera while he did this, "Make sure the pan in hot enough; then tilt the pan around and fill out. Once it forms a skin the down side, flip it over."

As he spoke he done everything he was saying, moving the pan around flipping the pancake over.

"It should have a minute on both sides," Shadow went on with another glare, "But of course, this depends on how thick on laid on it. However you'll likely know when it's done by how easy it flips over."

Shadow flips the pancake onto an awaiting plate, he throws a clean tea towel over it and grabs the ladle once more going back to the pan and making another one.

"You can serve with sugar and lemon," Shadow adds as he watches the new pancake forming, "Which is the best way."

"Shadow I'm here!" Athshe voice calls from somewhere in the apartment, "And you'll never believe who I saw!"


	20. Untitled: King Knight Piece 1

Sonic eyes blinks rapidly, causing his rich green orbs to vanishes at the sheer speed; at last he stops and frowns deeply, letting out an odd sigh as he drops to his knees and sits on his shoes. The blue hedgehog stares over the valley upon the mountain he had half way climbed, a long river ran through it's middle that was surrounded by a beautiful overly large forest.

Thoughts were racing through his mind just as fast as he could run, not understanding how this happened, or even when it came about.

Sonic The Hedgehog, Hero Of Mobius, The Blue Bur, Knight Of The Wind ….. was in love.

And not just in love with anyone, he was in love with a copy of his rival and frienemy. Sonic had spent a year in Camelot before returning from the 'story book', during that time he spent fighting against the fake King Arthur he grew fond of Shadow's double Sir Lancelot.

Sonic only spent a further two weeks in Camelot before setting off home, only to find a enraged Amy. She mentioned something about a forgotten date but could not remember everything she said.

Time went by as normal and Sonic found himself wondering just what was happening in Camelot; the kingdom and its people needed to get back on its feet after the fake King's rule, however Sonic found himself thinking more and more of Sir Lancelot, comparing him with Shadow.

Shadow and Lancelot had completely different personalities.

Shadow followed his own path, caring little for those around him, cutting himself off the people who held out a hand to him in friendship. The Ultimate Lifeform looked down on every and was choosey with the people he had in his company, wanting to keep to himself and ponder over important matters that only concerted him.

Lancelot was fiercely loyal to his king, and had a want to help the people of his kingdom, always ready to fright to protect and offer help; he held in high regard those with skill that could match his own and respected lesser skilled.

'Of course, Shadow has been through a lot...' Sonic think, his eyes never leaving the valley, 'Wonder if Lancelot is how Shadow once was, the Knight had another focus and purpose. I never met the Shadow from before, the one who loved deeply...'

Sonic brings one leg out from under him, placing both hands on it he used it to raise up. Smiling sadly to himself he turns, knowing that he would never see the Knight again, even if he had realized his feelings while there it did not matter. One they were both males and two, Sonic become in his own world.

Sonic glances over his shoulder, staring at the valley that looked so much like Camelot. This Zone had a very old feel to it, since his return he came to this place to remember the hedgehog that he unknowingly fell for.

"Goodbye Lancelot." Sonic whispers to the wind, hardening his heart against the feeling now, until the next time.


	21. Untitled: King Knight Piece 2

Sonic sat in his den on his favourite single sofa with his legs popped up on a stool, listening to the sound of music that flowed gently from his old radio. The blue hero had his eyes closed as he relaxed.

Suddenly light flashed through his lids, on opening them he stares at an unexpected sight.

"Huh?" Sonic says blinking at the young woman in front of him, "Merlina?"

"Sonic, My King" Merlina greets with a small smile and deep bow, making Sonic sigh and lean back in his seat with a bored look as he waited for her to go on, "You must be wondering why I have appeared before you."

"Well... yeah," Sonic admits with a slight frown but smiles, "Not that it's not good to see you, you my friend, and I'll always be there whenever you need me."

"Thank you my King." Merlina replies with a respectful bow to her head, causing Sonic to shake his head at the title, "I came to inform you, that I felt it best for Camelot to be lost and forgotten."

"Lost and forgotten?" Sonic asks in confusion, "Wasn't that what you was trying fright against, for the kingdom alive forever?"

"Yes, but my mistakes have became to much for my heart to take," Merlina answers sorrowful, looking down towards the floor, "I have wronged my people greatly for my own desire and now left the kingdom with no king."

"So? What can I do to help you?" Sonic asks feeling for her, but he could not just leave his world and rule over theirs, since he was this dimension's protector.

"Sonic, My King," Merlina says raising her head up to face, "I request from you aid in finding a new king! I shall create for you a window, you may come and go as you please."

"Come and go as I please...?" Sonic repeats liking the sounds of that, then thought about another thing, "What about the Knights, are they going to stop me from leaving like they did the last time?"

"They shall not," Merlina answers looking a little grim, "I have taken away the kingdom's memories of the events that occurred. The Knights only know that their King is no more, the royal advisers are at this moment performing the duties of the King."

"Can't these advisers just carry on?" Sonic asks trying to be helpful, but Merlina frowns at this.

"Our worlds are different, My King," Merlina says to this, "Camelot needs a King to rule over it's people, if not disorder will swipe over the land, as well as leave us open for an attack from neighbouring kingdoms."

"Mmmmm..." Sonic hums loudly thinking about all that had been said, the idea of returning to Camelot sounded good, but thought of no one remembering his good deeds was a little unsettling; while he remembered a time from his youth when he was barely acknowledged for his life saving work, today everyone knew him and thanked him.

'Lancelot...won't remember...' Sonic thinks sadly, Merlina was still there waiting for him to say more, smiling he waves to the other sofa for her to take a seat.


	22. Untitled: King Knight Piece 3

A blue blur of light passes through the open field, making the wheat farmers shot up and glance all around quickly. The raccoon frowns, then shaking his head he bends over continuing with his work.

Sonic ran. The blue hedgehog was already nine fields away from the raccoon's plot, grinning boldly as he came to a woodlands. This place had no concrete roads, only natural paths and few dirt road.

Sonic stops right outside the woodlands, breathing in deeply he could smell the rain in the air, also the smelt of the foliage of the trees and flowers; the skies above were darkening, thunder rumbled in the distances and despite the gloomy welcome he was happy to be back.

Merlina had been true to her word when she said that no one would remember him. The Royal Mage had walked him right into the court room and announce his presence as her Knight, who had free use of everything in the castle.

Sir Lancelot's expression informed Sonic just how powerfully Merlina's eraser casting was, none of the Knights gave him a second look, to interest on carrying on with their own duties, which was a lot since there was no king.

Sonic glances towards the castle that could be seen, the land of Avalon was vast and the last time he was here he could not have a good run around. Now that he knew the basic layout, he knew it would take a couple of months to find all the beauty spots for him to laze around in.

Sonic turns to the castle, running off at full speed. Merlina had set up a window for him, but it was in the castle and her chambers. And it was not a window at all, it was a big mirror, one on her chambers and another was in his own bedroom at home. She claimed that he was the only one to be able to pass it, so he did not need to worry if Tails came along searching for him and anciently fell through.

Sonic darts through the gates, coming to be in the inner most court yard of the Castle of Camelot. He blinks when he sees Lancelot staring at him in surprise.

'I forget, this one does not have mine or Shadow's full speed.' Sonic thinks as he grins at the knight wander over to him, "Yo! Lancelot, how's the search going."

"You will address me as 'Sir'," Lancelot growls out, it was a little odd seeing him without his helmet, he appeared he was washing his face after a sparring match with someone unseen, "And the answer to your question, our search in unfruitful."

"Oh? Sorry to hear that!" Sonic says as he takes a seat on the stone wall, where Lancelot was getting his water from. Green eyes gazes at the well's water below; the well was in the centre of the inner court, seemingly the place where most of the water was drawn from.

Sonic turns to the black and red hedgehog, opening his month to say more. However he was already gone, blinking the hero sighs at the lost chance to speck to the other.


	23. Untitled: King Knight Piece 4

Sonic was pouting, he could not help himself. He had missed chance after chance to talk and rekindle some kind of …. relationship with the other hedgehog; The Knight did not want to know him, only interested in his kingdom and finding his new king.

"What's wrong Sonikku?" Amy asks from besides him, they was on yet another 'date'.

"Just thinking?" Sonic replies trying to force a smile to his lips, the only reason he was dating her was because he knew that falling in love with another male did not fit the hero's image. Also he knew that he would never allow himself you say to Lancelot that he loved him, he did not know much about Knights, but he was sure that they had some code or something that did not allow them to go with other males as well... or that was what he was guessing.

"About?" Amy presses leaning over to him; the pair was seated on top of a hill on a bench, it overlook a town with a beautiful lake.

"Us." Sonic answers allowing her to relaxed against him, "You know that I'll not in love with you, so why are you letting me do this?"

"Because at least I get to have you..." Amy breathes out, she wraps her arms around his upper arm, rubbing her cheek over his shoulder, "You're mine. I don't know who you love, but I know you can't have them, you're trying to escape this by dating me."

"Wow." Sonic says with a small laugh, "You know me better than I thought."

"It's Shadow right." Amy says, it was not a question. Sonic froze at it, she was half right.

"Why did you think it's Shadow?" Sonic asks with a frown, he kept his eyes on the landscape below.

"One, you keep staring at him." Amy answers sitting up slightly to look at him, "Two, you started dating with probably after Rouge told everyone they had paired up as a mated couple. Three, even if you could have Shadow you would not go after him, because you want everyone to see you as a hero. And homos can't be heroes in this world."

"...I have no comment to that." Sonic admits with a snort, "You don't mind?"

"No, like I said," Amy mumbles drawing closer to him, "At least I get to have you, and I know you'll treat me right. Because even if you're not in love with me, you love me like a friend."

"Thanks for understanding." Sonic says with a grin, "You don't me running around the world at random, you moan around that often."

"Announce me as your paired mate rightly," Amy says with her eyes shining with eagerness, "And I don't care with you do! And I used your random runs and disappearances by now. You're a free spirit, and I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Mmmm..." Sonic hums out staring still at the town, "Fine, I'll make the announcement in the morning. You're going to have a lot in your ear, you sure you want this?"

"I am sure!" Amy declares firmly and happily.


	24. Untitled: King Knight Piece 5

Sonic sighs, listening to old men who liked hearing their own lips flipping gets old real fast; they, the advisers sat higher than the Knights, causing a large gap between. This was causing the Knight to become angry, they was the ones of there meant to have the final say, yet the advisers kept poking their noses in every part of the debates.

Sonic glances over to Merlina, she kept gazes at him during the long speeches; it was clear to him that she wanted their true King to speak up.

'I'll just keep my mouth shut...' Sonic thinks, he then glances towards Lancelot who seemed ready to Chaos Blast them to the next dimension, 'It that was Shadow of course.' he snorts loudly, however being in an old castle in an large hall, made simply sounds travel to every ear.

"Do you have something to say Sir Sonic?" The Elder of Log East asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Er...No," Sonic says with a small laugh again, which came out as another snort because of his odd mood he was in, "Sorry, continue with whatever you were saying..."

"We are debating about the villagers," The Elder of Tents West hisses out, glaring at the blue hedgehog, "We feel that they can wait until we have finishes the repairs of our more honourable subjects for their homes before going onto theirs."

Sonic frowns at this. Being poor once himself, he knew that things like having a roof over heads was important, he also knew that the 'honourable' that their own money to deal with the worries of their household.

"I must disagree." Sonic says firmly as he stands, causing every Knight, servant, slave and advisers to stare his way.

"What?" One Elder hisses out in outrage, "We have a duty to their-"

"The poorest subject of this kingdom is still under your care." Sonic spat out loudly for his voice to boom out over the walls, feeling his old temper flare at this injustice, "The 'Honourable' as you call them, can show a bit of grace and repair their own homes. The poorer villagers need their homes completely by winter."

"Now look here hedge-" An Elder starts but again was cut off this time by Merlina.

"No." Merlina growls out power flickering across her body, her eyes were narrowed and shone with strange light, "You look here. MY Ki- My Knight has spoken wisely and you shall see fit to follow anything he commands."

"Commands?" One Elder mumbles looking sick about something.

"The poorest subject gets helped first." Sonic says loudly his old grin firmly out in place, "They also won't have enough food for the winter, so we'll use the castle food storage."

All the elders suddenly was on their feet, shouting at this. Sonic sighs giving them a bored look. Turning to Merlina he could see her getting more and more angry at their voices against Sonic's words.

'What should I do?' Sonic thinks rubbing a ear, taking a deep breathe he yells out, "Silence!" Standing he walks around the table, glaring at these men who was meant to advice their king with the people's interest, "You lot have proved yourself self-centred and having no love for your kingdom, if your king was here, he would no doubt remove all of you from your positions."

Sonic glares at them one last time, turning he marches away heading for the doors with Merlina close at his heels.


	25. Whatever!

The strong winds blew hard, brining causing the heavy snow to cover the land faster; Sonic blinks from his place beside the pillow of grand the archway, simply watching the frozen water building higher and higher from the safely of the crypt he had discovered earlier. It was evening now, the sun was setting behind the dark grey clouds and making the already cold zone even more icy.

Sonic was relaxed not letting the chilly temperature drop bother him, "And this is meant to be summer in this zone?" he comments to himself with a smile, "If they have snowstorms like this during even at this time of the year, I would hate to be caught out in the dead of winter!"

Spinning around Sonic walks through the archway and into a lobby like room, here was too open double stone doors. Deep inside the crypt he had build a small fire using dry wood he found in a storeroom kind room closer to the surface.

As darkest fall the rooms got colder, yet Sonic still never worried over it; the blue furred green eyed speedy hedgehog had been in far worst places than this, during that time his life was on the line. So nothing truly fazed or surprised him much any more.

Walking through the corridors that was filled with cobwebs with their spiders, insects and bugs, dust and dirt, he smiling at the crystal torches that lit up the place. These crystal torches were common in the past, however with new technology things such as these ancient crystals was becoming more and more rare. It almost sadden him.

Moving into a dimly lit room, Sonic sees his fire was going strong. Strolling over to it, he flops down on the rags he gathered together and stares at the flickering flames. Sonic grins into the warmth.

'Best not sleep for the night...' Sonic thinks to himself, knowing from experience it was not the greatest of plans to go to sleep in cold winter nor in a crypt, monsters or robots would be lurking within, 'Haven't seen a robot in a while... wonder what old egghead is up to...?'

Sonic reaches down and lifts a rag over his shoulders, wrapping around his front. Then he gazes into the fire once more.

'I'm twenty-one years old...' Sonic thinks as he keep watch, 'And still fighting strong... however...' he leans back and glances around at the darken room, some crystals were broken making the room only partly lit, the fire caused shadows to move across the walls in an eerily dance, 'Maybe its time I stepped down as a Hero...'

During the last two years more and more heroes were showing up, these was just as strong as the last. Each Zone seemed to have their own chosen Hero which they looked to now; it had even began a job, with ranking between them. They earned their money through how poplar their was, in the way of sales with toys and posters, or showing up to places and parties. Also the hero company that hires them are responsible for any damaged caused by villains; business paid the hero companies for protection and insurance, again making more money out of it.

Sonic sighs loudly, white vapour escapes his mouth and vanishes in the air. The icy room was hurting his lungs, so he wiggles forward more towards the fire.

'Sonic The Hedgehog... is no more...' Sonic thinks calmly, not caring what happens now. He knew that he could no longer be able to run in the open, but he could run freely in SA Zones where they was no eyes to see him.

0000000000000000000000000000

"Sega!" An sweet elderly voice calls, "That's enough dear, you can come in for lunch! But don't forget to wash your hands!"

Sonic strengthen himself up, his brown eyes seemed to smile at the old fox. The muddy dark brown hedgehog hums aloud as he slowly made his way over to the wood cottage; he could see warm water in a large tub like bucket, a piece of soap and a dry towel was sitting on a small low table.

Standing before the bucket, Sonic trod on the backs of his boots removing them from his feet. Next he went removing his gloves, not caring that he was now naked to the world. The brown spiky hedgehog extends an arm over, bringing to him the soap, then he begins the task of cleaning himself.

Sonic or Sega as he goes now, had sealed his power using a Chaos Emerald, returning himself to his brown coloured fur, deep brown eyes that was almost black and many many spikes rather than the fused together larger ones. One more thing, his speed. The complete concealment of his power really mean returning fully to his former self.

Moving to grab the towel he catches sight of himself in the rippling waters; it was strange, he could barely remember the things before his gaining his power, but he does recall his fur being brown.

"Sonic, lunch is on the table," The fox Rosa says, being so old she did not care much for the youngest naked before her, as she came from the time when all kinds wore nothing, "Also my granddaughter is coming, she is bring some treats I don't know if you would want to take some home with you?"

"Let me see what treats she has," Sonic replies grinning smoothly at the elder fox, "Then I'll made my chose."

"Wise," Rosa says with a nod, she wanders back into the collage with Sonic at her heels, "It is not much..."

Sonic sees the bread and cheese, along with a glass of water. "It's enough for me, remember I just a normal little hedgehog," Sonic grins flopping down into the seat and began eating the small meal, "I won't need much."

Rosa sighs in relief, she did not much in the way of food but she tried to get at least something for her workers who came to help her. She moves away letting the hedgehog eat in peace.

Sonic grins as he shovels the food in his mouth, enjoying the tasteless food. It was strange, when he was blue he wanted to eat and eat, in fact even after eating a full meal enough to fed a small army he at times still wanted to eat more. Tails once explained that this was because his body burned up more energy or something, and it needed to be replaced or else his body would start eating it's fat reserves and sending him into starvation.

'Mmmm... maybe I should have listened a little more closely to what Tails had to say...' Sonic thought as he gulps down his water, placing the glass down he stands and heads towards the front of the collage.

"Mrs Rosa I'm done!" Sonic informs as he walks into the small lobby, here he found both granddaughter and grandmother, "Oh! Hello again... Kitty!"

"Its Kathy..." The younger fox answers with a heavy sigh, "Thank you again for helping out my grandmother, Sega."

"No worries!" Sonic replies coming further into the lobby heading towards his shoes and gloves. A shock cry caused him to spin round to stare a Kathy, gazing about the area he saw nothing to make her fearful, "What's wrong?"

"You're naked!" Kathy screams out pointing to his feet and hands, she turns away red faced. The older fox laughed loudly at this, Sonic just shook his head and began putting his socks and shoes on, then at last his gloves.

"Don't worry about the treats," Sonic says as he walks towards the front door, "I have to get back to my den by sunset."

"Must be a long track for a hedgehog," Rosa says once she finishes laughing at her granddaughter, "Sorry I can't take you, but I can no longer drive my van."

"No worries!" Sonic says happily as he nods to a still blushing Kathy, then to a smiling Rosa, "See you later, if you need any more help, feel free to call me up."

"Bye Sega, have a safe trip." Rosa says waving him out the door.

Sonic turns, he heads the door shut behind him. Taking a slow walk towards the main path, he grins at the sunny blue skies above. He had been living in this Zone for the last three months, and was doing well.

Lower Green Hill Zone was the place of his birth; it was not how he remembered it, many new building and houses was everywhere, small villages had become villages, villages had become small towns, small towns had become large towns and the large towns had become cities. When he left his Zone to battle Robotnik at the age of only thirteen there had only been one city in his zone. The whole area was one big open green zone, with forests and woodlands every now and again.

While Sonic could not remembered much before waking up when he was about ten years of age and completely blue with sonic speed, there was times images floated through his mind and a sense of familiarity passed over him.

Hiking along the woodlands path he gazes upwards, watching in the way the sunlight passed through the green leafs above of the treetops, only few rays managed to reach the woodland's floor. Sonic could hear the noises of the creatures that lived, hidden somewhere within.

Then another sound made its way to his ears, causing them to twitch. Pausing he turns back slightly, glancing over his shoulder; the old fox's collage was now out of his sight. Facing forward he waits. It did not take long for a tall red metal robot stepped from behind the trees and stared at him with a cold gaze.

"And what can I do for you?" Sonic asks tilting his head while grinning boldly at the thing.

"My master is here in these woods." The robot answers as it steps further out, then starts moving towards him, "He wishes to have you as his guest."

"And what would your master want with a normal weak little hedgehog like me?" Sonic questions never loses his confident grin.

"Because Sonic The Hedgehog," The robot states his true name, which he had not heard someone address him as since he came, "My master has something he wants to give you, as a retirement gift."

"How nice of him..." Sonic drawls out with a sigh, "If I said my name was Sega and not Sonic, would you believe me?"

"Please do not insult my master's intelligence." The red robot asks with that say cold manner, "Come with me and become a guest of my master's."

"Fine..." Sonic says after a moment's thought, "But only because I want to know just how he found me."

"Thank you, my master will be pleased!" The robot slowly took steps forward, almost waiting for an attack from Sonic. It stops in front of the brown hedgehog and went to it's knees so it was almost the same height as him, it's stomach opens revealing a seat for Sonic to sit in.

Sonic stares at it for a moment, he had no reason to trust the mad scientist. However this was the first time Robotnik came seeking him out in this manner.

Walking forward Sonic wandered up a ramp and went inside the metal object, he spins around and takes a chair. The doors or stomach did not shut right away, instead they slowly rose up. Sonic calmed his heart down, he knew full well that he could not fight back like this and unsealing himself would take up a lot of strength he did not have at the moment, since he worked a long hard day at the old fox's home.

Closing his brown eyes Sonic leans back in his seat making himself comfortable; while he was a hero, he had gotten himself captured during the years and found that panicking or worrying over something he could not control did not help. Waiting for a chance no matter what sharp or form it came in, was the best choice.

'Unlike my younger days,' Sonic thinks with a relaxed smile, 'When I would rush into everything and get really impatient over the smallest of things or waits... I always wanted to go fast...' Sonic felt himself drifting off to sleep, his dream was of him running through a dirt path with someone running beside him.

"Sonic The Hedgehog, we have arrived." The robot's voice came closed to his ear, surprisingly soft, it did not wake him with a startle.

Blinking his eyes open, Sonic yawns and tries to stretch out, only to knock his knuckles against the ceiling of where he was. He frowns in confusion for a second, but quickly remembers where he was and who he was going to see.

The stomach opens and Sonic stands, walking down the ramp he glances all around the large area he was in. A fancy and cosy looking tearoom like place, it had two comfortable looking sofa facing each other; a low table was in the sofas centre with teapot and teacups, a tray of cakes and sandwiches was also placed there.

Dr Robotnik sat grinning at him on one of the sofa, he made a small hand gesture for him to stay where he was.

"Sonic, you look like you have taken a mad bath." Robotnik sneers as he slowly gazes at the hedgehog up and down.

"Oh that's nice," Sonic says with a huff folding his arms over his chest, "We haven't seen each other in three months and the first words out of your word are an insult, anyone will think you don't like me or something."

Robotnik snorts at that, he waves a hand towards someone or something behind Sonic causing the hedgehog to glance behind. On looking back a robot appears and baths in what seemed to be gel, it covered his whole body cleaning him better than that soap and water ever could. When the gel departed from his body, leaving him in a little bit of a daze, a beam of chaos power flesh through him and suddenly his brown fur gave way to blue, his dark brown eyes glows to green and his many spikes fused together making much larger ones behind him.

Sonic blinks down at himself, feeling his two hearts slamming against his ribcage, his forty tiny lungs breathing openingly from his tubes that was on his back's spikes and the normally feeling of everything around him so slow and boring.

"Hey! What's the big idea!" Sonic cries out angry, he frowns deeply tapping his right foot hard on the floor, "Why did you chance me back!?"

"Because I need you in this form Sonic," Robotnik says this time he made the gesture for him to sit on the other sofa, "One of my experiments went a little wrong while I was trying to use some of my grandfather's studies."

"...Eggman, you're a roboticist right?" Sonic asks while walking towards the sofa, he took a seat and stared down at the sandwiches, everything there was fit for building up his fats, he could already feel his stomach eating itself, "So why are you playing around with bio science?"

"Silence! Do you have any idea just how many blasted heroes keep showing up?!" Robotnik shouts out, looking annoyed, "All having some new power that is unstopping, and there's also the villains! Don't get me started on their half-baked plans on destroying the world!"

"Most of your plans are half-baked..." Sonic mumbles out, he then smiles and reaches down for some sandwiches and quickly bite into one, he chew a few times and forced it down before going for another bite.

"Anyway, I want you to have that thing... I made it from your DNA anyway," Robotnik snaps out as he leans back in his seat, "Worst mistake ever! And it keeps blowing up every lab I sent it to! Think of it as a retirement gift!"

"A retirement gift...my DNA? Eggman," Sonic says with a sigh, "Just what did you do?"

"I wanted to made a being that passes my grandfather's work," Robotnik explains his voice kept getting louder and louder, Sonic simply ate the food given to him while watching the man through bored eyes, "A being greater than both you and Shadow combined!"

"Oh great..." Sonic sighs out, not looking forward to whatever the mad man had to say, "And so, what did you do?"

"Did you know that Shadow is not 100% male?" Robotnik asks suddenly in a lower voice.

"Please, I'm eating..." Sonic says quickly as he takes a gulp from his tea that a robot had poured out for him.

"Those you made Shadow wanted him to have the best of both worlds." Robotnik went on with a grin, "Hoping that having female hormones would made the prototype most loving and caring towards those it was meant to protect, however we know how that turned out."

"Yeah, but at lest I know why he is moody at times." Sonic said with a snicker, he finished the last of the food that was laid before him.

"That's not all, Shadow has both reproductive systems," Robotnik carries on darkly, "While he was sleeping I removed some of his eggs... or _it's_ eggs, whatever..."

"And me?" Sonic asks dreading what was coming, "You said something about _my_ DNA, so you must have my s...seed...?"

"Ah, yes." Robotnik says in a low voice, he played with his moustache for a moment, "Three years ago when I thought up this plan I need all the things in place, just in case. Do you remember Sonic, that time when you fell into that deep water and went unconscious. You woke up in my base, it was then I removed your...seed. And thus starts the brilliant plan of forming a being far beyond your power, speed and strength."

"You're sick in the head, you know that right?" Sonic asks completely unimpressed by this announcement.

"Shut it Hedgehog!" Robotnik spat out, he nods towards another robot, "The being that was made was a failure, it did contain much of your or Shadow's speed. However another power emerged from it."

Sonic brought his left hand up to his temple, rubbing it there with his index and middle finger, "So you're telling me that; One, Shadow is a he-she and two, I have an clone of some sort that did not inherent my speed."

"More or less." Robotnik says with a nod, he then stands and began walking away waving Sonic to come as he did.

"So what can it do?" Sonic asks with a frown, he jumps up and walks along beside the fat tall man; it was strange, in all the years they had been fighting Sonic never thought that they would have a chat that did not end with them trying to kill each other.

"The little pest have powerful psychokinetic and seems to have Shadow's physical strength," Robotnik tells as he stands still for a moment and waits for a door to open, "It may gain some speed when it grows older, who can say..."

"Grows older? So it's not a clone kind of thing?" Sonic asks as he blinks at the new room, it was nothing like the cosy tearoom they just left, this was more like the Eggman's bases he knew. There was a strange pulsing of pale blue power running through the walls of the long wide corridor.

"More like a hoglet." Robotnik said frowning, "I started from the beginning, hoping to raise it over time. However even at this age it is too much of a handful for me. So I'm giving to you, so you can worry about it."

"..." Sonic frowns not knowing what to say to this, a hoglet? a baby? A child?

They came to the end, large double doors was there. The doors moved slightly, opening ajar then suddenly opening fast. A loud cry reached Sonic's ears, oddly enough it made his hearts break. Hurrying into the metal room, he sees a box with those same pale blue pulses running through it.

Sonic peers over the top and stares at a little white hedgehog, it was crying hard; things was attached to it's body and the pulses was coming from the baby in waves and getting drew into the wires.

Then it gazes upwards, almost like it knew it was being watched. Golden eyes blinked through tears at Sonic; then it just stared.

Sonic did not know how long he stood there staring at the little white hoglet, one thing he knew, he loved it already. Smiling Sonic leans in and reaches down, seeing this the hoglet held up it's tiny arms and allowed itself to be picked up.

Sonic ripped the wires off of his hoglet and lay it on his chest, it snuffled and closed it's eyes falling asleep.

"Well that was interesting," Robotnik says from behind, "It recognizes you as it's father."

Sonic growls as he slowly turns to the large man, who grins at him when he sees how enraged the blue hedgehog was.

"Careful Sonic," Robotnik hums out in a mocking tone, "You're retired remember, if people see you fighting me, they might think they can call upon you again!"

"How dare you do this to my son," Sonic growls out, not really listening to what the human male had to say, "You'll pay for this!"

Robotnik's grin widen.

Seven Emeralds appears encircling Sonic, they began to spin around him at a fast rate and then vanished seemingly inside of him. With a burst of golden light Super Sonic floated there, red eyes there narrowed at the man. The hoglet still slept soundly against the chest while Sonic carefully held him with both hands, keeping him in place.

A shield appeared in front of Robotnik and the grinning man takes a step back, armoured robots jumped down from holes that appeared in the ceiling. They aimed their guns at the powered up hedgehog, these however, stood no chance against him.

With a quick swift movement the robots were gone, broken and melted on the floor. Sonic glances down at his son, the little creature seemed to be only a couple of months old. Red eyes glowed, he made a hole in the wall and flew through it and out into the open skies.

Sonic quickly took in his surrounds, he was high in the sky and was above what looked like a city. On some platforms to one side of the metal castle in the sky, he spots some new heroes fighting against an army of robots and having a hard time.

The air rocked in shock waves as he flew towards them, then came the sound; a sonic boom.

They ducked down as the yellow fiery thing went by them overhead, some screamed. Sonic blow up everything in under a minute and then hovered above them. They stared in awe for a moment, one came forward and was about to say something, when a giant robot appears from behind the metal castle.

For some reason Robotnik designed the thing to roar.

Glancing down at his new son he smiles, wrapping himself in a protective wave of raw power he almost disappears as he rocketed himself to the giant robot. Reappearing on the other side, the robot continues to roar; then he realized a minute after that something was not right and blows out, sending fireballs and pieces of metal in all directions.

Sonic turns in the air, he stares down at the new heroes who were pointing his way. Others he saw, were taking pictures of him with their phone.

"Kids these days..." Sonic says with a sigh, he knew how stupid they was being taking their eyes off of the emery, even if it seemed that there was none left. "Until the fat man rants, its not over."

The castle they stood on shook, causing the new heroes to cry out as they fell on their hands and knees. Sonic blinks dully towards the castle, sure enough the flying castle itself was one big robot. Giant hands, more giant then the robot that he destroyed moments ago, came round and came in for the kill.

Sonic made a move. In a flash he passed through the wrist of the hand before it could reach them, the hand dropped, smacking the sides as it went down and breaking some of the platform the new heroes stood on.

Bring red eyes down, Sonic checked on his little hoglet once more. Golden eyes greets him, staring at him in wonder.

"Well hello son," Sonic says kindly, not really sure what to call him yet, "Sorry if I woke you, go back to sleep, Papa will get rid of the bad guys." As if the hoglet could understand the things said, pale eyelid hid those golden eyes and he rested his head back on Sonic's chest.

The yellow hedgehog hums a slightly, it was like something warm brushed against the edges of his mind.

"And now," Sonic says as he gazes back at the flying robot castle ship thing, "Let's end this."

Yellow flames streams from his body, waves upon waves of power rolled through the skies. Sonic curls his arms around his son, lowering his chin as he darts forward. He pick up speed in a heart beat.

0000000000000000000000000000

Sonic leans back into his single sofa, his feet was at on a stool with a pillow under. The fire he build in the fireplace crackle and popped as the wood got eaten up. The little collage he own always grew cold in the evenings, but today it was a little more chillier because of the storm that blew in.

Heavy rain pitter patter against his windows, thunder rumbles overhead and every now and again, lightning would flesh outside causing deep shadows to stretch before it.

Laying on his stomach was his son, the white little hoglet.

"Whitey? Or just White? Maybe Shiro?" Sonic mumbles to himself, those golden eyes watched him carefully from where he laid; the hoglet blinks as he listened to his father, "Silver? Grey? Belyy Blanc? Arian?"

Sonic brings both hands up to the little white creature, tucking his hands carefully under belly he gets a grip; then he raises him up and stares him up and down.

"Golden eyes and a white coat." Sonic says again, he had spoken those words earlier that evening, "Silver sounds better for you. I mean, I run fast and I'm called Sonic and your Mama in black and red and in named Shadow."

"Did you say 'Shadow'?" A dark voice hisses from a corner of the room; Sitting up Sonic brought his feet down quickly and held his son closer.

Sonic's eyes widen as the black and red hedgehog himself stalks further into the room, growling deeply in his throat.

"Yo Shadow! How have you been?" Sonic greets with a bold grin, wanting to laugh out loud at the angry eyes glaring his way.

"Hedgehog," Shadows hisses out coming nearer, "You have five seconds to explain to me what you just meant!"

"It will take longer than five seconds." Sonic drawls out quickly losing interest in him, "Sit down and listen, I can explain all of this."

Surprisingly Shadow comes forward and drops into the other single sofa.

"Also," Shadow says his voice had soften slightly, "Where have you been? The world has been looking for you, everyone was starting to think you was dead."

"Dead? Me?" Sonic snorts loudly, grinning once more, "Will that I can explain too! First, want to hold your son Sliver, _Mama_?"

Shadow growls darkly at that last part, but held out his arms to take the hoglet. Sonic leans forward, carefully passing over the newly named hoglet to it's mother.

'Weird... Can Shadow also feel this is his son?' Sonic thinks as he watches the normally sour mean spirited hedgehog look down at the tiny creature, 'I felt it right away this was my offspring, so Shadow may feel it too...'

Sonic waits until Shadow had Silver comfortable in his arms, before opening his mouth and explaining all that had happened. Shadow listened to everything Sonic had to say, nodding a few times during the talk.

"I'm going to kill that fat piece of lard," Shadow says through his teeth darkly, chaos power flicker over his body in tune with his rage, "Wait unlit I deal with him!"

"I destroyed most of his toys," Sonic says calmly with a smile, "Doing that is worst than death for that over boil egg, bet he is fuming where he is."

"Whatever." Shadow huffs as he plays with Sliver's tiny fingers, "So...now what?"

"'Now what'?"Sonic asks blinks, not understanding what his frienemy meant.

"You're going to raise Sliver...Alone?" Shadow questions eyeing up the blue hedgehog.

"Well yeah," Sonic says bluntly and clearly amused, "Unless you want to move in with me and help me raise him, you're more than welcome Shadz."

"Mmmmmmmm.." Shadow hums as he thought, making Sonic raise his eyebrows, truly not believing that the other was actully thinking about it, "I'll have to move my stuff in, I don't own much. It my weapons that will be the pain to bring."

Sonic sat there blinking, he wondered if he was dreaming. Shadow wanted to move in with him and raise their son...

"Well... okay," Sonic says leaning back in his seat, staring at mother and son, the pair seemed happy with each other, "We'll do that when the storm in over, which be tomorrow now."

Sonic glances down at the newspaper at he bought that morning, it had his photo on the front with the headlines, ' Is Sonic Back?'. He had over read half, it was filled with many theories of why he had not been around, some were laughable.

"This is going to be an interesting adventure," Sonic comments to Shadow, who gazes his way in question, "Raising a hoglet that is. Wonder if we can handle it?"

"I am sure we can," Shadow answers with a smirk, "I am the Ultimate Lifeform after all."

Sonic grins at this, while shaking his head a little; turning to the flames, he stares into it. When he made his choice to leave his old life behind, becoming a father was the last thing on his mind...

'A great adventure...' Sonic thinks as he turns to watch Shadow and Silver once again.


	26. What The Hell?

Shadow frowns deeply as he stares at the sight that was in front of him; Sonic the Hedgehog had dyed his fur pink and was wearing that red dress, hair band and boots that the pink hedgehog normally wore. He was seat on a bench reading a book, looking less then pleased about doing so, the afternoon shone down lighting up the area of the long lost city that one Amy Rose would never be able to hike to.

As the dark hedgehog drew closer he could made out Sonic shaking, it was the dead of winter and very high above the clouds because of the city was on the side of the mountain and he did not have as thick fur as Shadow did.

Sonic raises his head when Shadow came nearer still, grinning the should be blue hedgehog pats the seat next to him.

"Shadow! I'm glad I found you!" Sonic says loudly, by his high pitch tone he was trying to mimic Amy, "I have to tell you something!"

Wordless by Sonic display of... whatever it was called, Shadow's brain cells were killing themselves in order to forget this later on; the dark hedgehog takes a seat next to the hero and frowns when he could smell alcohol.

"Now Shadow," Sonic carries on while shook and wobbles, one because of the cold and two because of the drink caused him to be a little imbalanced, what he had did not agrees with his body, "I want to end this relationship."

"Relationship?" Shadow asks staring at the drunkard hedgehog.

"Yes, our relationship." Sonic says leaning forward, almost nose to nose, "You see, I no longer love you!"

"I wasn't aware we were in any form of relationship." Shadow replies in a dull tone, he reaches out and carefully places his arm behind Sonic's back and through his surprisingly soft yet firm quills, which normally only harden when he felt like he was in danger.

"'Cause we're not any more!" Sonic answers with a bold grin, the grin faded quickly as green eyes turned to glances around the ruins, "By the way... Have you seen my crown?"

"Crown?" Shadow asks somewhat amused now, "What crown?"

"My crown!" Sonic drone out leaning towards Shadow, allowing the hand to rest on his shoulder while he bump heads with the other; he then whispers, "I think I lost it during the war... you know I was once a prince of my own Zone right... but you can't tell anybody, okay Shadz?"

"Okay Sonic," Shadow answers drawing the once blue hedgehog closer to him, he thought he heard a moan of disappointment from some rock; Sonic's friends no doubt watching, while Sonic himself had forgotten right why he was there.

"Yeah, it was during the war," Sonic continues with wide eyes as he stares up at Shadow, "We was eating a meal right, when a political crisis happens and then we escape through a secret passage because of the giraffe, only he was dirty and lead us to a religious ceremony with sacks over our heads. My mother was sad because of the betrayal, because she really liked that servant."

Sonic stops talking and pulls his legs up tucking them under him as he leans right onto Shadow now, who was listening with interest.

"And then..." Sonic mumbles as if trying to remember something of great importance, "Yeah, the giraffe that borrowed some money and needed to give it back and that was why he did the crime...So they went preparing for this ceremony thing... however some old scribe lost the item and blamed the giraffe 'cause of his greed... or something like that..."

"You awake?" Shadow asks bringing his other hand up and gently touches Sonic's cheek, wanting to hear the rest.

"I think so..." Sonic replies with a frown, his eyes did not seem to focus, "Where was I...? Sack? Lost? Greed? Oh! That's right!" he closes his eyes for a moment and then opening them he looks in a daze up at Shadow, "During that time mother gave birth to my baby sister, which was strange...but I'll always remember her screams. It was then the explosion happened, it shook the whole castle!"

Sonic fell silent for a moment, making Shadow wonder if the other had gone to sleep. But soon he rose his head again.

"The greedy ones got away," Sonic says in a low voice, "And someone innocent goat got framed for it; he was skinned alive and left for dead, but he lived and gathered a lot of people... oh me and my mother and sister was okay. And it was about ten years later before the hateful goat came back, he wore a mask that hid his face..."

Sonic pauses and sits up, pulling away from Shadow, then he wraps his own arms around himself and rubs. The dark hedgehog follows him, again wrapping his arms around the other and waited for him to continue with the odd story.

"The masked goat killed a of people because he was wronged," Sonic says with a heavy sigh, "But still, why did he have to kill those who did nothing wrong? They was not at fault, and by doing that, didn't become what he hated?"

Sonic glances upwards to the heaven above, they were so high up already with everywhere was filled with clouds.

"From what I hear," Sonic mumbles out, almost sorrowful, "That goat went on an epic adventure and could have lived out the rest of his life as a hero to those he met during his trip. Instead he went controlling those who he helped and started a huge riot towards the royals."

Sonic nods his head for some reason and turns to Shadow.

"Then the jackal guard stood and fought against the goat," Sonic went on with a serious tone, "This time however the king and queen was dethroned, just as the riot continued and my mother gave birth again, this time to my baby brother; a spear went right through my father's chest and did was at this time the goat learnt of the misunderstanding, he begged for forgiveness however my mother lost hear in her kingdom, letting her three hoglets she travelled the zones and went to sleep... The end."

"Well that was interesting." Shadow snorts out, "How about we go into that hut, where its warm... and your friends won't snicker at you."

"Huh?" Sonic managed to get out while blinking at the darker hedgehog, "Shadow what are you doing here?!"

"Taking care of a drunk hedgehog," Shadow answers picking up the pink should not be blue hedgehog and starts carrying him towards the wooden hut that was for some reason there, "You need to sleep it off, or vomit. One or the other."

"..." Sonic allows himself to be carried alone, feeling more and more sick as they went on.


	27. Home Is Where

Robotnik hugged the tiny brown hedgehog in his arms, not a word was spoken as they watched the armoured black van speeding off down the road and curve round the corner sharply vanishing from their sights.

The tall human blinks then slowly he glances down at the hoglet where he finds large black eyes staring at him with interest; the mad roboticist gave the child a reassuring smile, turning he makes his way towards the large double doors to his work station.

The scientist had asked for a live specimen for his research, he never thought that the royals would give him their first born son. It was for the protection of their people in the kingdom, they wanted powered suits that did not need the use of batteries and Robotnik commented on using a living creature's life force, that way the suit would began activated when they enter the machine.

"Prince Sonic," Robotnik mumbles almost sadly, "Of Green Hill Zone..." The young prince gave the human male unsure glance, before he hugged onto him tightly and shaking badly, "Even if you was the first born, I heard only females can take the throne. It will be your younger sister becoming queen next; any males born are given away or in the old days was killed."

"I learnt that too." The five year old prince replies in a small shaky and almost horse voice, "I always thought that when my mother has another child, a princess, that I was going to die...Thank you for taking me in."

"Don't thank me just yet boy," Robotnik says in that same sad tone, "I am a member of the royal court, even though I never go to those meetings. You are nothing more than a specimen."

"Still better than being locked away," Sonic answers giving him half smile, his voice fearful and scared as he still clung onto the white coat, "Here I will have a little more freedom...?" The brown hoglet tilting his head, wanting to know if it was possible.

"Yes Sonic," The human with the large moustache answers grinning down at the child, he raising a hand to the timid boy's head and gave it a light pat, "With me, you're be able to run wild and free. Just so long as you do as I say, gone it?"

"I understand!" Sonic says softy with a tiny smile playing on his lips, he hugs the human further, "And... another thing... Can I call you 'Papa'?"

This caused the human to pause in the long metal corridor, he gaze down at the boy for a moment. At last he grins, "Of course you can Sonic."

Prince Sonic of the Green Hill Zone grins and buries his face into that white coat that smelt of oil and grease. The human continue to stroke the boy's quill as he carried him down the corridor and towards the main laboratory.

–

Sixteen year old Sonic 'Robotnik' Hedgehog, stood tall upon the cliff; green eyes followed the Egg Carrier DX as it slowly trailed across the grey skies over the main city of this Zone. The blue speedy hedgehog lifted up one arm and waved gently towards he, knowing that the human he once called father was watching him with his machines.

The once tiny timid hoglet, that was damaged mental, physical and emotionally, grew up to be the planet's hero. The freedom and proper food given gave him a live lease in his young life, the care Robotnik given as a 'father' stabled him further; thus giving something his own family had failed on.

The royals of the Green Hill Zone could never climb the hero as their own, because it would reveal and show them up for their dealings. The old traditions of the world was quickly becoming frowned upon with the age after Robotnik's attacks.

While Robotnik could not build his world, one where the traditions of old was completely thrown away and things that happened to Sonic never happen again with any child, his actions were having a big impact.

Robotnik and Sonic were only just starting to see the difference; their battles were now becoming less and less, and the two had spoken to each other, asking if they should leave. The Zones new senses of justice forced them to act together, once upon a day they fought against each other, it was only the common enemy Robotnik now known as Eggman made they see it this way, along with Sonic who fought to save everyone not caring for rank.

Smiling the blue hedgehog notices a shuttle heading his way, dropping his hand he knew it was time to go home, his home with his beloved father who had gone mad over the years.

A metal net shot out and Sonic never moved as it encircled him nor feared when he was raised up towards the thing. Soon he was trapped inside and moving at a fast rate towards the Egg Carrier. The large doors open and the shuttle went inside, it lands steadily down opening once it settles.

Sonic strolls out glaning all around, he grins when he spots Eggman there waiting for him with a creepy grin upon his lips.

"Welcome home." Eggman says still with that same grin, he turns wandering off, only half looking back to see if his adopted son was following.

"Yeah..." Sonic answers grinning boldly, a completely changed character from when they first met, "I'm home."


	28. Open Wound

The sun had set making the cold evening colder still, the strong wind bought down the heavy rain faster than it should, thunder boomed in the distance and lightning come be seen beyond the tall trees. Sonic frowns as he took off his socks and placed them with his running shoes and gloves, he needed something to hang them however the cave he came in had nothing where he could.

Standing he scans the dark cave once more, rain water had began to pour in and was quickly filling the rocky ground; Sonic was wonder if he put his things back on and move higher. If he could find anywhere higher, there was small streams forming now. With the sun gone completely then fleshes of light was the only thing giving him sight.

Pouting the blue hedgehog was angry, with himself more than anyone. The attack had come out of no where, it struck his arm making him fall hard. He wanted to wrap the bloody arm, but the only source his clothing he had on him was his socks, dirty socks that had no place on an open wound.

'Need to clean the socks and wrap them round the wound,' Sonic thinks as he picks up his belongings and climbs upon a higher rock, the small streams had formed into one big one, it was rapidity getting faster, 'How?'

Lightning fleshes, lighting up the area once again and giving him a quick look at the cave. Seeing an even more higher place to climb, he starts making his way across the rocks.

'Hope the attackers have gone,' Sonic thought as he sat down with his legs hanging over the edge, he sat his stuff besides himself, 'This would be a really bad time to get into a fight.' he was being silent because he did not how far behind him they was from him where he entered the cave, one sound could made them come in.

Sonic felt the blood running down his fur, he made no move to swipe it away, seeing no point.

'Hopefully the blood will crust and form its own wrapping.' Sonic thinks watching the cave light up again, he saw no sign of his attackers.


End file.
